The Next Step
by JenRar
Summary: Ranger plans a new surprise for Stephanie to take their relationship to the next level. This is number three in the Hunt Series-a sequel to Anniversary Surprise and The Great Birthday Hunt. You don't have to read those first, but it'll help. Now edited & re-posted.
1. Chapter 1: Decisions

_Disclaimer: All characters belong to JE. I'm just using them for my pleasure. Mmmm, pleasure & Ranger in the same thought... *drool* This is a sequel to my stories: **Anniversary Surprise** and **The Great Birthday Hunt**. You don't have to read those to read this one, but if you don't, you'll be missing out! Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link._

~oooOOOooo~

**The Next Step**

~oOo~

**Chapter 1: Decisions  
Ranger's POV**

It had been three weeks since my birthday and the epiphany I'd had. Stephanie and I had been officially together for nearly a year and a half, but I'd loved her almost since the minute I first saw her. I had been telling myself for years that I wasn't going to get married again, but Steph, my Babe, had completely changed my mind. She was the air I breathed and the best thing in my life. Now, I just prayed that when I ask her to be my wife, she'll say yes.

After our one year dating anniversary and my birthday scavenger hunts, I wanted to play again. It was the best way I knew to get Stephanie to accept any gifts I bought her, although I'd never tell her that was my main reason for playing in the first place! So here I was, sitting in my office on a Monday afternoon, plotting. I came up with seven places that held special memories for the two of us. My final destination was going to, hopefully, be forever.

My first step was to call Frank Plum. As I dialed Steph's parents' house, my gut clenched.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Helen. This is Carlos. Could I please speak with Frank?" I asked.

"Of course, Carlos. Hold on just a minute, please."

I began to pace as I waited.

Two minutes later, his voice came over the line. "Hello, Carlos. How are you today?"

"I'm good, thank you. I was wondering if maybe we could meet for some coffee or something. I'd like to speak with you in person."

"Sure, that would be fine. Why don't we meet at the diner near you in an hour?"

I looked at my watch. "That'd be fine. See you then." Hanging up the phone, I called Tank into my office.

He came sauntering in, thumbs in the pockets of his cargoes, looking completely relaxed and at ease. "What's up, boss?"

"Have a seat." While he sat across from my desk, I sank down into my chair. I pulled the box from my pocket, tossed it gently to him, and watched as he opened it.

Whistling, he closed the box and tossed it back to me. "When?"

"Going to talk to her father in an hour," I said. "Planning on a couple of weeks from now. I want to do another scavenger-type hunt and have her meet me at my house to ask her."

"Aww, big man is getting soft."

I growled at him. "You aren't any better about Lula."

He blinked. "Okay, okay. Got me there. What can I do?"

"I'm going to ask Ella to make sure the house is ready. I have pictures of mine and Steph's families and of Steph and me I want hung. Everything else should be okay; just any other homey touches Ella thinks the place could use. Could you work with Ella and help her with anything that needs done?"

"Sure, Carlos. Anything you need, man. Just let me know."

I gave him a nod as he got up and left the office. I read over the previous night's surveillance reports filed by Hal and Binkie until it was time to head out to meet Steph's father. At 1530, I grabbed my keys and walked down to the garage.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up at the diner and grabbed a table at the back, unconciously putting my back to the wall. Steph's father walked in five minutes after I'd sat down, looked around, and then headed toward me. I stood and offered him my hand, and he sat across from me after shaking.

"Thanks for meeting me," I said.

The waitress, an older woman with gray hair and worry lines running across her face, bustled over. "What can I get you two?" she asked, pulling out an order pad from her pocket.

"I'll just take a small black coffee," Frank told her.

I ordered a green tea with lemon. We talked about my work and Stephanie's sister Valerie and her kids until the waitress brought our drinks, and then Frank looked at me with a serious expression on his face.

"So what's going on?" he asked me.

"Sir, I love your daughter. We've been dating for over a year and a half. I would like to ask her to marry me, but I wanted to ask for your blessing first."

"Carlos, I couldn't think of a better man for my daughter. I know her mother was dead set for a long time on Joseph Morelli marrying Stephanie, but I've known for a long time that he wasn't the right one for her. He wants a 'Burg wife, and Stephanie really doesn't want that life. I often have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. You let her fly instead of trying to tie her down to a life she wasn't meant to fit in. You have my blessings, son. Just make my girl happy."

"I will, sir. Thank you."

He nodded once and then took a sip of his coffee. We made small talk for a few minutes and then stood up as we finished our drinks. I thanked him again as we walked out to our vehicles to head home.

I got back to RangeMan a few minutes later and headed up to Steph's office. She had moved into an actual office a few weeks ago as head of the new official Bond Enforcement Division of RangeMan. As usual, Steph had her back to the door as she stared out the window. I quietly closed and locked the door before walking up behind her and putting my hand on the back of her neck, bending down to whisper in her ear, "Babe."

She whirled around and shrieked, throwing her arms around my waist. "Don't scare me like that!" She laughed as I pulled her up to stand in front of me.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me. "Need to be—"

"More aware of my surroundings," she finished for me. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Did you ever think that I like you sneaking up on me?" She grinned.

I pulled her even tighter against me, and with one hand fisted in her hair, moved my lips to hers. I kissed her tenderly, my tongue snaking out and tracing her lips until they parted, allowing me in. She moaned against my lips, and I felt my already hard dick become steel.

I pushed her legs apart enough to slide my thigh between hers and pulled her hard against me. The hand that wasn't tangled in her curls moved down to palm her breast, massaging gently, before moving down and around to cup her ass and pull her tighter to my thigh.

I tore my mouth from hers, nipping her bottom lip once before kissing my way down her cheek, past her jaw, and down her neck. I found her pulse point and began to use my mouth to work her into a feverish state. My tongue licked the spot before my teeth found their mark as I nibbled and sucked. My hand moved around to find her clit through her cargoes. When my fingers found the hard nub, I circled it a few times before finally rubbing it once.

Steph threw her head back, exposing more of her neck, and as I began to mark her with my lips and teeth, my fingers rubbed her clit roughly once, twice, and then a third time. She screamed, her orgasm overtaking her as she came. I continued to gently rub her through her cargoes and suckle her neck until her trembling had calmed to almost nothing.

"C-Carlos," she whispered, still trying to catch her breath.

I sat down in her seat and pulled her down to my lap.

"Not that I didn't enjoy it, but what brought that on?"

"Seeing you just brings out the animal in me, Babe. I couldn't resist. Watching you come is the most beautiful, awe-inspiring sight in the world."

There was a knock on the door. "Hey, Beautiful, you available?" Lester's voice boomed through the door.

I put my finger to Steph's lips and stood her on her feet, creeping quietly to the door. As carefully as I could, I unlocked her door, turned the knob, and then pulled it open.

Lester flew into the room and slammed against my chest. "Ranger, what the hell, man?"

Stephanie was almost rolling on the floor in tears, she was laughing so hard.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I pushed Lester off my chest. "Get the fuck off me, Santos. I'm taken, and besides, I don't swing that way."

I danced out of his way as he took a friendly swing at me.

"What do you need, Les?" Steph asked, making her way to me and putting an arm around my waist.

"Just wanted to double check what time we were going to go out tomorrow to pick up the three skips from today."

"Right after the morning meeting okay with you?"

"Works for me. Okay, I'm outta here," he said, grinning. "Got a date with Heidi tonight. Will see you in the morning."

Steph and I laughed.

"See you tomorrow," Steph replied.

I gave him a nod, and he left the office, whistling all the way down the hall.

Checking my watch, I saw it was quitting time. "Ready for dinner, Babe? Ella will have dinner for us in an hour. We can head upstairs," I said, bending down to whisper the rest in her ear, "and spend some quality time on the couch before she gets there."

She didn't even respond verbally. Taking my hand, she led me over to the desk, where she quickly logged off the computer, grabbed her gun and purse from her drawer, and then walked out of the office with me hot on her heels.

We made it upstairs in record time and had our boots and accessories off within seconds of arriving inside the apartment. I swooped her up in my arms and planted myself on the sofa, settling Steph in my lap.

She was straddling my thighs, facing me, and before she could react, I whipped her shirt off over her head and had her bra undone. I pulled the straps down her arms, and tossed it to the side with her shirt. Bending my head down, my lips found a nipple, and I sucked it into my mouth, my tongue teasing it until it was a hard, pointy nub.

With one hand pressed against her lower back to hold her upright, my other hand found her other nipple and began to tweak it. Steph's hands moved to my hair and pulled the leather tie out, letting it fall around my shoulders. She fisted her hands in it, tugging gently, as I moved my head down to her breast. I began nibbling her tender flesh with my teeth. She moaned, and I moved my hand from her other nipple, sliding it down her body. I unbuttoned her cargoes and slid my hand inside, past the top of her panties, until I found her wet heat.

I plunged two fingers deep inside her as I switched to the other nipple, biting it before sucking hard.

"God, Carlos!" she cried out when I added a third finger.

I curled my fingers, stroking her front wall with every thrust. Just a few thrusts later, she came apart in my arms for the second time in ten minutes.

As soon as she could speak, Steph quietly demanded, "Fuck me, Carlos." She stood up and pulled her pants and panties off in one swoop, leaving me room to stand up and peel off my clothes, as well. I grabbed her hand and moved her to the end of the couch. I pulled her to me so my throbbing erection was trapped between us.

"Do you feel how ready I am for you, Babe?" I growled, kissing her passionately for a moment.

I spun her around and forced her to bend over the arm of the couch, thrusting into her completely, all within a few seconds.

Stephanie's third orgasm came minutes later, and when I felt my own bubbling up from inside me, I flicked her clit, bringing her over one last time as I let myself go.

We stood there for several minutes, my dick softening slowly inside her, before I finally pulled myself away from her. I led her back around to the couch and lay down, pulling her down in front of me so we were face to face.

"_Te amo, Stephanie,_" I whispered, brushing my lips softly across her forehead.

"I love you, too, Carlos," she said, smiling.

We lay there for a few minutes until we heard a soft knock on the door. I quickly grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and pulled it down to cover us.

Soon, Ella came walking in, pushing a cart with our dinner on it. "Hello, you two. Is now okay for dinner?"

I grinned at her over Steph's shoulder. Stephanie was a bright red, embarassed at nearly being caught completely naked. "Now is great. Thank you, Ella."

"My pleasure," she replied. "Enjoy! I'll be by in the morning to get the dishes."

"Thank you," Steph mumbled.

Ella laughed as she left the apartment.

As soon as she was gone, Steph jumped up and ran to lock the door. "Carlos! She nearly caught us!"

I chuckled. "Babe, it's okay. She didn't see anything." I stood up and began walking toward the kitchen. "Now come and eat. You need your strength for later." I winked as her eyes grew big.

"Again? You're insatiable!"

"Only when it comes to you, Babe. Only you."


	2. Chapter 2: Tank & Ella Conspire

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 2: Tank & Ella Conspire...  
Tank's POV**

It had been two days since Ranger told me he was going to ask Bomber to marry him. I guessed I should get in touch with Ella and make arrangements to go out to his house and see what we needed to do. I decided to just head up to her apartment, rather than calling her, since I had a few minutes to spare before I needed to be ready for a meeting.

Knocking on the door of Louis and Ella's apartment, I stood back a few feet with my hands clasped behind my back. The door opened, and Ella stood there in her own version of the RangeMan uniform: jeans and a black polo shirt with the RangeMan logo stitched at the collar.

"Hello, Pierre, dear. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Ella. May I come in for a minute? I have something I'd rather not discuss where other ears can hear."

"Sure, come on in," she said, leading me into the kitchen. "Louis is back in the other room. Let me get him, because if this is about what I think it is, he'll want to be involved."

I smiled and nodded, taking a seat at the kitchen table as she went to get her husband from the living room. A minute later, they came walking in together. I stood up and shook Louis's hand, and then we both sat down.

"Can I get anyone anything to drink?" Ella asked. We both shook our heads, so she grabbed a pad of paper and pen before sitting down across from me. "Let me guess. This is about getting the house ready for Ranger and Stephanie."

I nodded my head in the affirmative. "He told me two days ago that he plans to ask her to marry him and told me to work with you to make sure the house is ready. When would be a good time for us to all go out there to take a look and see what needs done?"

Ella looked at Louis and then at the calendar on the wall and asked, "How about tomorrow afternoon sometime?"

I thought of my schedule and realized I could switch some things around to clear my afternoon. "That works for me. If you don't mind, we can all go in my SUV at say...one thirty?"

They nodded. "Sounds good," Ella said. "I'll bring some things I think we may need. Did he tell you about the pictures he wants hung?"

"He did. I believe he just left them at the house for us to hang where we thought best."

"You two can work on the inside while I make sure everything outside is perfect. I can also help inside if you need me for something," Louis said.

"Great. I'll see you both tomorrow, then. Thank you. I know this means a lot to Ranger," I told them as I stood up and made my way to the door.

"It's about time he finally admitted what I've known for a while," Ella said with a smile as she opened the door for me. "We'll see you tomorrow, Pierre."

I gave her a smile as I headed down the hall to the stairs to go back to my office.

The next day, I met Ella and Louis down in the garage, and we piled into the SUV to head out to Ranger's house. It was a twenty minute drive from RangeMan to the outskirts of Trenton and then another five until the mile-long drive that led back into the trees where the house stood.

We pulled up, and I entered the seven digit code to open the gate before driving up to the house. After parking in the paved, circular driveway, we got out of the vehicle, and I walked them to the front door. Both had been to the house before, but only a couple of times with Ranger, so they weren't shy about expressing their curiosity this trip. I placed my thumb on the thumbprint scanner beside the door and bent down so the retinal scanner could read my eye.

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Tank," a robotic voice said. "Please enter your code."

Ranger had spared no expense on the security for this house when he'd bought it last year. Even then, he'd had hopes and dreams that he would eventually get to the place in his relationship with Stephanie that this would be her house, as well. I entered my five digit code, and the door locks clicked.

"If we're ever in trouble and are being forced to open the doors," I explained as Ella and Louis looked in awe at the security, "all we have to do is enter two extra digits before our code. It will still unlock the door, but it will also alert RangeMan and the Trenton Police Department that there is an emergency. It's a pretty neat setup." I pointed to the camera just outside in the door in the corner of the porch. "That is linked to the guys in the control room. They don't normally watch it, unless the alert code is entered, and then the feed comes over the monitors automatically. Otherwise, it's simply recorded, just as a precaution."

"That's a damn nice system," Louis remarked as we walked inside.

I shut the door behind us and hit the button to rearm the system.

"Louis, when you're ready, just let me know and I'll let you out. Then you can just knock on the door to let me know when you're ready to come back in," I told him.

"Actually, let me find some paper and a pen and I'll head out now," he told me.

I grabbed a pad of paper and pen from the desk behind me and handed it to him before disarming the alarm and letting him outside.

Re-arming it, I turned back to Ella.

"Why don't we have a quick walk-through and see what we can find off the tops of our heads. Then we can sit down and discuss it over some tea," she said.

"Sounds good to me."

We walked farther into the living room and saw a stack of framed pictures waiting to be hung. A note was lying beside them that said just to hang them wherever we thought looked best but to make sure the biggest one of the couple was hung over the fireplace in the living room.

"Oh, pictures! Let's see. Here's the one for the fireplace," Ella said.

I took it and walked it over to lean it against the bricks.

"Here is one of Ranger's parents and their entire family taken at the last family reunion. He showed this to me last month after it was taken. See? There's Stephanie," she pointed out. "I think this one belongs over the desk there."

I placed it on the desk so we would remember where to hang it when we came back out.

"Oh, Pierre! Look! Here are pictures of you, Ranger, Lester, and Bobby. One is from when you were new recruits in the Army, and here is another more recent that I can remember Stephanie taking last summer. I have an idea for these. If you would put them on the bar for me in the kitchen, I would appreciate it."

We spent a few more minutes sorting pictures that would hang in the bedroom and the living room, as well as a couple for the office, and then grabbed some paper and a pen and moved down the hall toward the back of the house.

Entering Ranger's office, Ella immediately clucked her tongue. "There is plenty of space in here for another desk and chair for Stephanie. She will need her own space to work from home on her laptop if she chooses."

I dutifully wrote that down on the paper, making note to ask Ranger what kind of chair Steph would prefer.

We moved from the office to the bedroom.

"I think Ranger has an old quilt in storage that was his great-grandmother's from Cuba. We can put that on the bed. I'll check that out this weekend," I told Ella. I grinned when she headed to the closet.

"Oh look, plenty of space for Stephanie's clothes. I foresee a shopping trip in my future," she said gleefully.

Ranger and I both knew she loved shopping for clothes to surprise Bomber.

"I see that Ranger already has a dresser for her, as well as a chest of drawers for himself. I don't think we're missing any furniture in here, so the quilt, clothes, and hanging the pictures is all that needs done in the bedroom."

I made sure it was all on my list as we moved through the connecting door to the bathroom.

"I just want to double check that everything is still here. When he brought me out here the first time, I brought everything Stephanie might need if she were here, so there is already plenty of her favorite makeup and hair products, as well as plenty of the body wash she loves so much." She peeked under the cabinets and smiled. "It's all here. Let's go back to the kitchen for some tea," she said.

I grabbed three mugs from the cabinet as she began to boil the water. We sat at the table just talking about nothing in particular until the water began to boil. As Ella got up to turn the water off and add the tea bags, Louis knocked on the door. We went back into the kitchen just as Ella was setting the mugs full of hot tea on the table.

Sitting down, I took a sip of tea and said, "Louis, what do you think needs done outside?"

"Not much," he said. "I thought I'd plant a few flowers around the center of the circular drive. Some motion-activated, solar-powered lamps that stake into the ground to follow the edges of the circle and then up both sides of the walkway to the porch would be nice, too. Other than that, it looks good."

I wrote those down on my list, even though he had his own, and then nodded. "Sounds good. You can handle that stuff on your own?" I asked him. He nodded, so I turned back to my notes. "Ella, you are going to take care of the pictures of the guys and me, correct?"

"Yes. If you can get the hardware needed to hang all ten pictures, then we can hang them all the next time we come back. I have a big job for you before then as well, Pierre. I would like to make Ranger and Stephanie a photo album or two. Could you please contact both of their families and request copies of many pictures of them growing up? Everything from baby pictures until current, please. Also, if you have any of the two of them from work, that would be nice. I will combine them all and make albums, leaving space at the back for future pictures."

"I can do that tomorrow," I said, nodding. "I'll call Steph's grandmother, because I'm not sure her mother could keep it a secret." _Please God...just shoot me now. Talking to Bomber's grandma? The things I'll do for my oldest friend_, I thought to myself.

"No, you're probably right," she said, laughing. "Okay, so aside from the pictures, I'd like to get a Wonder Woman cookie jar. I know Stephanie has one for the apartment, but I think she'd like another out here. I'm also going to find a Batman jar. I think Stephanie would find that very amusing. Also, a new, bigger home for Rex. What do you think about getting Rex a playmate?"

"As in, a female hamster? I'm sure Bomber would love that. I can be in charge of buying the hamster if you can pick out the houses you think they would like and figure out the best place to put them."

She nodded. "Finally, I need your help with one more big project. One of the things that Stephanie has worried about for years is his military background. Ranger gave me permission to display a few of his medals and commendations. He said you would know where they were and which ones would be best to display. If you could get me a handful, I would like to make a shadowbox for the office."

Nodding, I wrote it down. "I believe those will be in the same place as the quilt. I'll check for them tomorrow and get them to you as soon I can."

"I think we've done as much as we can for now," Ella exclaimed, grabbing all of the empty mugs and taking them to the sink for a quick wash.

I walked over and grabbed a dish towel, drying the mugs and other items we'd used before putting them away.

"Why don't we plan on coming here again Monday? I'd like to start right away so that if we run into problems, we have plenty of time to fix them."

"Sounds good to me," I told her.

The three of us grabbed the notes we'd made and headed to the SUV. I stopped to quickly lock the door and set the alarm and then climbed in. We drove through the gate, which opened automatically with exiting traffic, and pulled out onto the road leading back home.


	3. Chapter 3: To Get the House Perfect

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 3: ...To Get the House Perfect  
Tank's POV**

It was Monday afternoon, and Ella, Louis, and I had just gotten back to Ranger's house and unloaded two trips worth of bags and things.

Louis said, "I've got flowers being delivered, so I'm going to wait out here and start staking in the lights while I wait for them. Yell if you need me."

We nodded and went into the living room to go through the items we had brought.

"What do you think about putting this new hamster cage on the low table there in the corner? We can move the plant off to the side and put the cage beside it." Ella had just finished putting the cage together and adding all the accessories, including more tunnels and space for two hamsters.

"Looks good," I said, taking it from her and putting it onto the table after scooting the plant over carefully with my foot. "I won't get the new one until the day before he's supposed to bring her here."

"I'll make sure to have food, water, and bedding in before you do," she assured me. "Now, what's next?"

I moved back over to the bags and pulled out the stuff I'd gotten to help with hanging the pictures. "Want to help me with the pictures?"

She nodded and moved over to me, taking the hardware from my hands.

"I'll grab the hammer and other tools. Be right back."

A minute later, I walked back in with the tools and moved over to the fireplace. We started with the picture of Ranger and Steph there, and within thirty minutes, we'd hung all the pictures in the entire house that Ranger had asked for.

"I'm going to go hang the two pictures of you boys in the office. Why don't you call Maria and Edna and ask about the copies of the pictures from them?" Ella asked.

"Great idea. I'll be in here if you need my help," I told her before grabbing my cell phone.

I dialed the Manoso's number first.

Ranger's mother answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hi, Maria. It's Pierre," I said.

"How are you, dear? Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine," I assured her. "Actually, I have a secret that I need to share with you, but I need your promise that you won't share it with the rest of your family yet."

"Of course," she said, promising me with her words and sincere tone.

"Carlos is planning on bringing Stephanie out to his house in a couple of weeks and proposing." I paused as she cried out and burst into tears. Waiting until she was finished gasping and her cries had softened, I continued. "He asked Ella and myself to help get the house ready, and Ella had a great idea. She would like to get copies of quite a few of the pictures of Carlos from when he was a baby until now. I'm going to get pictures of Stephanie, as well, and then Ella will make photo albums of the two of them combined. Would you be able to do that without anyone else's knowledge, within the next week or so?"

"I'm so happy! Stephanie is so good for my boy, Pierre. You know how lonely he can get. You have Lula, and I'm so happy for you. I know one day you will be proposing, too, but I wasn't sure, after Rachel, that Carlos would ever get to that point with anyone. Of course I will get you the pictures. I'll send them to you via mail, unless you are going to be up this way."

I laughed softly. "Mail is fine. I'll look forward to getting them. Remember to keep this to yourself for now!"

"I will. Look for the pictures in just a few days," she said. "Goodbye, Pierre. Thank you for the wonderful news!"

"You're most welcome. Goodbye," I replied before hanging up.

I hit speed dial nine.

"Hello?" Oh good, Bomber's grandmother had answered the phone herself. This would make things much easier.

"Hello, Mrs. Mazur? This is Tank, one of Stephanie and Ranger's friends."

"Oh, you're the big one, aren't you? You're dating Lula."

I laughed. "That's me, ma'am. How are you today?"

"I'm wonderful, young man. Getting ready for my date tonight. Fred from down the block is taking me to Stiva's and then to the club so we can party. Neither of us liked Cornelius, so we're going to make sure the dirtbag is really dead and then we're going out celebrating. How are you?"

I laughed again. Bomber's grandmother scared the hell out of all of us at RangeMan, including Ranger, but she was a crackup. "Ma'am, I have a very important task for you, but I need your promise that you won't tell anyone. Especially your daughter or granddaughter. It is a surprise for Stephanie, and if her mother hears about it, I'm worried it won't stay a secret."

"Spit it out, Tank. You have my word I won't say anything."

"Ranger is going to ask Stephanie to marry him in a couple of weeks."

She laughed gleefully. "I knew it! I had this feeling last week that it would be soon. What can I do to help? I'm assuming you didn't call just to tell me the news."

_Damn_, I thought. _She's just like Stephanie with those uncanny instincts_. "You are correct," I said, smiling. "Ella, Ranger's housekeeper extraordinaire, would like to get copies of quite a few pictures of Stephanie from birth to now so she can make photo albums for the two of them as a surprise. I knew you could keep the secret, which is why I called you. Is there any chance you could gather a handful of pictures for me? You can either get copies made yourself or I can come pick them up and make the copies myself and return the originals to you."

"I can certainly round them up. If you want to swing by Wednesday around lunchtime, I know Ellen has plans to be out for lunch with Frank. I'll have them ready for you."

"That would be great," I told her honestly. "Thank you, Mrs. Mazur."

"Edna, please. It's my pleasure, Tank. I would do anything for Stephanie. Ranger makes her happier than I've ever seen her, so that extends to him, as well. Now, I need to go so I can get dressed. I got this new black leather miniskirt and shirt that you can almost see through. Fred isn't going to know what hit him," she cackled.

I closed my eyes and nearly whimpered. _Think of Lula_, I told myself. _Think of _anything_ but the old lady in her new outfit_. "Yes, you go get ready. Have a great evening, and thank you again. I'll see you Wednesday." I hung up without bothering to wait for a reply, needing to scrub my brain out enough already.

I hit speed dial two and soon heard, "Yo."

"Ranger, I have a question. What kind of desk chair would Steph like? Leather or fabric, high back or mid; that type of thing."

"She loves the Aeron Chairs by Herman Miller. You know the ones I mean?" he answered.

"Got it. Thanks, man. Gotta run. See you back in the office in a few hours," I told him before hanging up.

I grabbed the phone book and called one of the office supply stores in town that we used regularly for our office furniture and equipment. We also supplied their security, so I knew the manager.

"Good afternoon. Thank for you calling Thompson's Office Supply. How may I help you today?"

"Yes, this is Tank from RangeMan LLC. Could I speak to Shane, please?"

"I'll get him for you. Please hold," the young woman said.

Several minutes later, the loud voice of Shane, the manager, came over the speaker. "Hello, Tank! What can I do for you? Is there a security issue I wasn't aware of?"

"Hi, Shane. No, this isn't a security problem. Actually, I'm calling about some furniture. I need to buy a new desk and chair for a home office. I will pick out a desk when I come down later this week. Right now, I'm wondering if you sell those Herman Miller Aeron Chairs."

"Yes, we do. I think we have three different styles in stock. Quite a few of each, so it should be safe until you are able to come and pick one out."

"Excellent. I'll be there Thursday or Friday, most likely," I told him.

"Great. I'll see you then. Take care, Tank."

"Thanks, Shane," I said, hanging up.

Just then, Ella walked back into the living room.

"Did you have any problems in the office?" I asked her.

She shook her head before answering. "Nope, not a single one. Did you get arrangements made for the pictures?"

"I did," I told her. "Maria is going to send me copies of the Ranger pictures in the next couple of days, and I'm going on Wednesday to get Stephanie pictures from her grandmother. I'll make copies and return them to her. I also talked to Ranger about what kind of desk chair Steph would like. I'll go down to Thompson's and pick up the desk and chair for the office on Thursday or Friday."

Ella moved back to the couch and picked up a bag from the floor carefully. "Here, you open this box," she said as she handed me one of the boxes.

I pulled out a Batman cookie jar as she pulled out the Wonder Woman one that matched the one Stephanie already had.

"These are perfect," she said in a soft voice. Taking the one from me, she carried them into the kitchen and set them side by side on the counter. "I'll have them filled with different kinds of fresh cookies when Stephanie gets out here. She'll love them."

"I think that's pretty much all we can do until we have the rest of the items. Why don't you get something to drink and relax, and I'll go check on Louis?" I asked her.

"Thank you, Pierre. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you. I will take out a bottle of water for your husband, though."

She moved to the fridge, pulled out a bottle, and handed it to me.

"Thank you. We'll be inside in a few minutes," I told her before letting myself out the door, being sure to rearm the system.

Louis was right up near the porch, tamping down the last, from what I could see, of the lights. I saw new flowers planted in the middle of the circle and the lights lining the drive and walkway.

"Here ya go, Louis. It looks terrific. Ranger and Steph will love it."

He grabbed the water and took a long drink before smiling. "Thank you—for the water _and_ the compliment."

"Is there anything else that needs done out here?" I asked him.

"Nope. I'll come out the day before and make sure it doesn't need mowed or anything picked up. Other than that, I think it's good."

"Great. Ella and I are ready, so if you want to just wait here, I'll run in and get her and reset the alarm, and then we can head back to RangeMan."

~oOo~

**One Week Later**

Ella and I were back at the house, by ourselves this time, to finish up getting it ready for Ranger and Steph. I'd already brought and set up the beautiful wood desk and the chair in the office.

"Ella, I have all the pictures from both families, as well as the quilt and Army stuff you wanted. I'll help you sort the photos and put together the photo albums if you'd like. That will free you up to work on the shadow box and take care of the clothes. Sound okay?"

"Perfect," she replied.

We spent the next hour sorting. Ella put away all of the new clothes she had bought for Bomber while I sorted the pictures, getting them grouped by similar ages and in order from youngest to most current. When Ella walked back into the living room, I showed her the work I'd done.

Once she had shown me how she wanted the pictures in the albums, I spent a few minutes showing her the military items I'd chosen and explained what they meant. She knew some of what the items were and what they meant, but not all. The unit badges and his Ranger tab were easy. I explained, without going into too many details, about the Purple Heart for one of the times he was shot during a mission and about the Silver Star and Medal of Honor. Both of those were earned when he'd risked his own life to save the lives of his team and groups of civilians that were in mortal danger. I closed my eyes and remembered the mission where he'd earned the Medal of Honor, the mission that had very nearly cost him his own life.

She pulled out a beautiful cherry wood shadow box, lined with deep blue felt, that already contained a folded American flag. "I was able to order this from the Veteran's Association. All I have to do is place the items I want inside and it's ready."

I smiled at her and said, "He'll love it, Ella. Thank you."

I gave her the box of medals and other items, and she took it to the kitchen table to work while I spent the next half hour adding all the pictures into the albums. Once done, I set them on the coffee table and pulled the quilt from the bag, taking it to the bedroom and laying it out on the bed so it was easy to see. On the way back to the living room, I stopped in at the office.

Ella was standing at Ranger's desk, arranging the shadow box on the wall, finding the perfect spot for it.

"I think that's great right there, Ella," I said as she put it up behind his chair on the wall. It wouldn't be in his line of sight, but he'd see it whenever he walked into the room, and Steph would be able to see it when she looked up at him, which I knew she would love.

I turned to see the two pictures of the group of us guys hung side by side in one big frame. Ella had made a mat to go with the pictures. It was a light olive green, with darker olive green writing so faint you could barely read it. It said: _Brothers in combat, brothers in arms. Never a price for brothers in our hearts._

My eyes were misty as I took a step forward and hugged Ella, surprising her. "Thank you," I said in a quiet voice.

Her only response was to wrap her arms as much around me as she could and say, "No, thank you. Thank all of you."

We were quiet as we walked down the hall. After gathering up all the mess we'd left behind in the other rooms, we left the house.

"We can make one more trip the day before Carlos tells us he'll be out there to get the hamster and the cage set up and so I can do a quick cleaning and stock the fridge. Sound good to you?" she asked.

"Sounds great," I answered, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4: A Special Letter

_Warning for lemony goodness. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 4: A Special Letter  
Ranger's POV**

Two weeks after asking Frank for his blessing, I sat down to write the first two notes. I had a few gifts to give with the notes, and I hoped Steph would enjoy them.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_I think we both thoroughly enjoyed the last two scavenger hunts we played. I'm hoping you will enjoy this one as well and not question as to why we're playing. Just relax and enjoy yourself!_

_I know you have lots of questions about my life. I've tried hard to open up to you about myself as much as possible, but I also hope you know that my life didn't really begin until I met you. To find the next clue, go to where my life really began and ask for Fred. Tell him Carlos sent you._

_Te quiero, Babe. Tú eres mi vida y mi amor. I love you, Babe. You are my life and my love._

_Carlos_

~oOo~

Now, where would I leave this for her?

_Steph never gets any personal mail, so maybe I should just mail it to her,_ I thought. She'd get a kick out of that.

I got an envelope and wrote out her name and our address at RangeMan, stuck a stamp on it, and put it on my desk to take out and mail when I left later.

I sat down to write the next letter and pulled out the wrapped box I already had ready to give to Fred with the letter when I took it to him tomorrow.

~oooOOOooo~

**Three Days Later  
Stephanie's POV**

I dropped down into my chair and grabbed the pile of mail on my desk. It had been a long morning already, and I doubted it was going to get any better anytime soon. Ranger would be tied up in meetings for hours, so I'd have to fend for myself for lunch. Maybe I'd call the girls and see if they wanted to meet up at Pino's or something.

Flipping through the mail, I found a personal-looking envelope. After staring at it for a moment, I realized it was Ranger's handwriting. "What in the world," I muttered, sliding my finger underneath the flap and pulling it open.

I read through the note, my eyes tearing up. Years ago, we had met at a little out-of-the-way diner that Connie had sent us to. I don't know if Ranger had ever been back, but I used to go at least once every time Ranger was "in the wind." I knew Fred fairly well by now, so picking up the next clue should be easy. In fact, that would fit in perfectly with my lunch plans.

I put the note down, finished checking through the mail, and then turned on my computer and checked my email so I could do what I needed to do after.

A few minutes later, I headed down the hall to find Les. I heard him before I saw him and knocked before entering Tank's office. He and Les were sitting there chatting as I walked in, and I went to stand behind Lester, wrapping an arm around his throat gently. My other hand moved to pull his hair so his head was tilted back to look up at me.

"Ouch, Beautiful!" he said playfully.

"Oh hush," I teased. "You about ready to go?"

"Sure. Tank, see you this afternoon." He stood up and grabbed my hand. "Let's go, Steph."

I laughed. "Cya, Tank!" I called as Lester pulled me out the door.

As we walked down to the garage, I brought up lunch. "Hey, Les, you mind if I ask Connie and Lula to lunch with us?"

"Nah, that's fine, Beautiful. Want Pino's today?"

"No, I was thinking about Jimmy's Diner."

"That the place you and Ranger met?" he asked curiously.

"Yup, sure is. There's a reason we're going out there, but that'll have to wait until lunch so I can tell the girls at the same time."

"Fair enough. Let's go pick up the files and invite them, then," he said cheerfully.

We pulled up to the bonds office, and I hopped out, heading inside. "Hey, ladies," I called as we stepped inside. "Got any files for us?"

Les flopped down on the couch, his eyes raking over the office—checking to make sure everything was in order, I guess. I grabbed the chair by Connie's desk and planted myself in it and then started looking through the files she'd handed me.

"What's up, white girl?" Lula asked. "You look like you've got something on your mind."

"You guys wanna go to lunch later with me and Les?" I asked them both.

They nodded. "Pino's?" Connie asked.

"Nope. We'll pick you up at twelve thirty. Sound okay?"

"Sure," said Connie.

"Works for me," Lula answered.

Two hours later, Les and I headed back to the bonds office to pick up Connie and Lula. As they piled into the SUV, the questions started.

"Okay, so where are we going?" Connnie asked.

"Not Pino's, she said earlier, so Shorty's?" Lula looked at Connie and then me.

"Just chill, you guys. You'll see!" I stuck my tongue out at them immaturely and then relaxed as conversation flowed to the latest about Vinnie and Joyce.

We pulled up at the diner five minutes later, as Lula was finishing the latest story.

"So when that happened this morning, Vinnie ran out of his office with his pants around his ankles. Joyce came flying out after him, holding the duck!"

We all laughed as we got out of the vehicle.

The girls opened their mouths to start peppering me with questions again, but I held my hand up to stop them.

"I'll tell you once we're inside," I explained.

We got seated in a booth. Les and I had our backs against the wall, with Connie and Lula facing us. After our waitress took our orders, hamburgers and fries all the way around, except for Les, who ordered onion rings, as well, I pulled out the note from my purse and handed it to Lula.

"What's going on, Beautiful?" Les asked me.

"Lula, go ahead and read it out loud," I told her quietly.

She read it as the rest of us fell silent.

"Wow, Steph," Connie said. "Batman has it _bad_ for you! I remember you guys meeting here, but I didn't think anything about it when we pulled into the parking lot."

We spent a few minutes talking and eating, and then I excused myself to find Fred. I asked the guy behind the counter if I could speak to him.

"Sure," he said. "Let me go get him."

A minute later, a tall, portly man walked out and gave my hand a quick squeeze hello. "How are you, Stephanie?" he asked with a smile.

"I'm great, thanks, Fred! Umm, do you have something for me?" I asked hopefully.

He reached under the counter and slid a small box to me. "Ranger brought this in yesterday for you," he said.

"Thanks! Good to see you again," I told him.

"Good to see you, as well. Now that Ranger is back in town all the time, I don't see you around much. Although I'm sure you're quite happy about that."

I laughed. "I am extremely happy about that," I told him, reminded once again of how lucky I was that Ranger wasn't having to go on government missions every couple of months anymore. "Thanks again!"

"You're welcome. Don't be a stranger," he called as I walked back to the table with the box.

By the time I got there, Connie and Lula were in a frenzy and Les looked half-crazed himself.

"Well, what is it?" Lula asked.

"Give me a second," I said, laughing.

I sat down and pulled open the box. Inside was the most gorgeous bracelet I think I'd ever seen. It had ruby red glass stones and pearls in a goldtone bracelet and looked very old. I handed it to Lula and picked up the envelope.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_This bracelet was my Abuela's. She gave it to me when I turned 25 and said to give it to the woman I fell in love with. It was given to her by my Abuelo a few years after they got married. You may never have anyplace to wear it, but I want you to have it so you know that you are the only woman I've ever loved and the only woman I will ever love._

_In two days, to find the next clue, go to the place where we first became one. I told you then that I would ruin you for all other men, but in reality, Steph, you ruined me for all other women. No one has ever come close to holding a candle to you for me, and no one ever will. If I know what love is, it is because of you._

_Te quiero, Babe. With all my heart, forever and always._

_Carlos_

~oOo~

I felt a single tear slide down my cheek as I passed the note to Lula. Picking up the bracelet, I slid it over my wrist and had Les help me lock the clasp.

"I think I'm ready to go now," I said quietly. My heart was full, and I definitely needed time to think before Ranger came home from work. "Les, drop the girls off and then take me back to RangeMan, okay?"

"Sure, Beautiful. Ladies, you ready to go?"

They nodded and handed me back the box and notes before standing up and making our way out of the diner. We dropped Lula and Connie back off at the bonds office and made our way back to RangeMan. When Les pulled into the garage, I thanked him and hopped out before hurrying to the elevator that would take me up to seven.

I gave a finger wave to the camera before getting off the elevator. Once I was the apartment, I dropped my keys and the rest of my stuff on the entry table and then made my way to the bedroom. I stripped off my clothes, leaving the bracelet, and climbed naked onto the bed, the emotions of the day catching up to me quickly. I fell asleep with Ranger on my mind.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

I walked into the apartment, not knowing where I'd find my Babe. I knew when Steph got back earlier in the afternoon, and Santos told me she'd gone right up to the apartment and had been there ever since.

I sneaked into the bedroom and found her curled on her side, fast asleep. Pulling off my clothes, I slid into bed behind her, curling my body tightly against hers. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and ground herself back against me, causing my already growing erection to harden even further.

Reaching up, I pulled her hair off her shoulder and began planting light kisses up and down her neck and shoulder. Steph began to stir under my lips, and she moaned my name softly. I knew she was much more awake when her hand made its way back to rest on my hip and she pulled me even tighter to her.

"Mmm, Carlos. Thank you for the bracelet," she murmured. "Make love to me."

"My pleasure, Babe," I said before lifting her top leg slightly and guiding my cock between her legs. I slid deep into her pussy slowly. I moved my leg between hers and then lowered her leg, trapping me between her thighs.

We made love like that for a long time. No words were spoken. My hand caressed her body lovingly, running up her leg, over her hip, and up her stomach to her breasts. I gently squeezed them, pinching each nipple until they were hard nubs.

Finally, her breathing became much heavier, and she began thrusting her hips back into me harder and harder. I picked up the pace, holding onto her hip. I knew we were both close, so when I felt her pussy beginning to clench around me, I moved my hand to where we were joined and flicked her clit.

I kissed the spot where her shoulder met her neck, and as I felt her orgasm beginning, I bit down, sucking and marking her as gently as I could. When she came, she pulled me over the edge with her. I thrust hard into her, as deep as I could get, and came hard inside her.

We finally collapsed against each other in a tangle of sweaty limbs. I took her hand in mine, twisting our fingers together, and soon, we both fell asleep pressed tightly against each other, my semi-hard cock still buried deep inside her.


	5. Chapter 5: A Romp In the Park

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 5: A Romp in the Park  
Two Days Later  
Stephanie's POV**

I woke up as Ranger climbed out of bed around five in the morning and gave me a soft kiss, saying, "I'm going to the gym and then to start work. I'll see you when you make it downstairs."

"Mkay," I mumbled, turning over and falling right back asleep.

The next time I woke up, it was seven thirty and my alarm was blaring, telling me it was time to get up and start my day. I stumbled to the shower and spent thirty minutes under the hot water, finally awake enough to open my eyes fully once I climbed out and dressed in my RangeMan uniform.

After putting on minimal makeup, I made my way into the kitchen to find a plate of chocolate chip pancakes staying warm in the oven and a note with a reminder from Ella to turn the oven off when I got my pancakes out. Sitting down, I smothered them in butter and syrup and ate all five pancakes in just a few minutes, moaning loudly enough that I was almost worried the guys would hear me down on five.

Once I'd eaten, I rinsed my dishes and left them in the sink for Ella and then grabbed my keys and gun and headed to the elevator to start work.

On the way to my office, I poked my head into Tank's to say good morning and then stopped at Ranger's door. It was open, so I knocked once as I walked in, finding him on the phone. He motioned me over and pulled me onto his lap when I got within reach. Holding up a finger, he told me one minute, so I relaxed back against him, enjoying the yummy scent that is uniquely Bvlgari and Ranger, all mixed together.

Sure enough, just a minute later, he hung up the phone and pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist. "Have a good breakfast, Babe?" He nuzzled my neck as he waited for me to answer.

"Mmm, I did, thank you. Ella makes the world's best chocolate chip pancakes."

"I'm sure she does," he said, chuckling. "I have meetings this morning but should be free for lunch. Want to meet me at Shorty's? Bring any of the guys you want; we can make it a group thing. Or it can be just the two of us. Up to you."

"That'd be great, Carlos! Noon?"

"I may run a few minutes late, but that should be fine. Now, get to work. Tank and I have to be in a meeting in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir," I said, saluting.

He grinned, kissed me, and then swatted me on the butt as I left the office.

I headed for my office and spent the next few hours working on searches and research. I also thought about the last clue from the hunt Ranger was sending me on. The place we first became one was my apartment. The first time we made love was in my bedroom. I didn't spend much time there now, but I was still renting it in case we needed someplace to get away from RangeMan for a night—and it had come in handy a few times for my grandma when my dad needed a break. Maybe I'd swing by there after lunch to get the next clue...

I picked up the phone and called Les and Bobby to ask if they wanted to meet us for lunch. They both agreed, so I called Ranger's cell and left a voicemail to tell him the guys would be joining us, so he should bring Tank, if he was free. I settled back down to work, and at eleven forty-five, I grabbed my gun, purse, and keys, and headed out the door.

I pulled up to Shorty's just before noon. I hopped out, gun in the back of my pants, keys in the purse, and purse at my side. I walked inside to find all the guys there ahead of me.

"Hey, guys," I said cheerfully as I pulled out the chair next to Ranger.

Instead of letting me sit there, he pulled me down onto his lap. "Babe," he said, giving me the two-hundred-watt smile I loved so much. The next few seconds were filled with greetings from the others, and then a waiter sidled up to the table with an order pad in hand.

"Do you all need a few minutes to decide?" he asked, his eyes glued to me perched on Ranger's knee.

"Nope," I said, looking at the guys. "I think we're ready. I'll have a meatball sub."

I could have ordered for the guys but figured none of them would think that was masculine, so I waited till they had ordered—a salad for Ranger and pizza for the others, surprise, suprise...

When the waiter left to place our order, I asked, "So what's the plan for this afternoon? Anything big going on?"

"Nope, Beautiful. Want to come play with me in the gym?"

I gave Les my patented "_You're annoying and now I'm ticked off"_ 'Burg glare. "Sure, sure. Just let me ask your boss how he'd feel about that." I turned my head a bit to guage Ranger's reaction.

He grinned at me and shrugged his shoulders. "Up to you, Babe. It's a free country."

I reached down and pinched his side.

"Okay, okay. You know I'm teasing! Hey, Santos, why don't _I_ come play with you in the gym today?" He named a time for mid-afternoon.

"Awww, man! That's what I get for hitting on a gorgeous woman!" He winked at me.

The arms around my waist tightened a bit. "Pick on someone else's gorgeous woman and leave mine to me," he grumbled.

I leaned back into him, cupped his face with my hand, and brushed his lips with mine. "That's right, baby. I'm all yours. No worries, Batman. You're all the man I need," I whispered softly to him.

We sat for ten minutes, just talking about the upcoming weekend. Of course, Les and Bobby had dates, and Tank said he and Lula were spending a quiet weekend at home with movies and popcorn. Finally, the waiter was back with a tray full of food.

I slid onto my chair and dug into my sub.

When lunch was finished, Ranger paid for everyone and asked Tank if he would drive my car back to RangeMan, saying I'd catch a ride with him. He grabbed my hand, and we walked outside into the sun.

Pulling me close to him, he walked me to the Cayenne. When we got to it, I found myself pressed tightly between the SUV's door and Ranger's hard, muscled body. He gave me a wolf-grin before he slowly began moving his head down toward mine. I whimpered with need just before his lips crashed against mine, his tongue snaking between my lips.

My need for him was so great that I found myself trying to climb up his body. He never moved his lips from mine, but suddenly, my leg was up and wrapped around his hip, putting his growing erection directly in line with my already soaking wet center. I moaned against his mouth and ground my hips against his.

I felt an orgasm beginning to sneak up, and I tore my lips from his, pushing my leg down and free from Ranger's arm holding it up. "Carlos!" I said breathlessly. "We can't do this. Not here. Everyone can see us!"

His breathing ragged, he nodded once and pulled away from me. Rather than letting me go completely like I'd thought he would, he took my arm and pulled me into the SUV. He shut the passenger door behind me and moved around to the driver's door. He didn't say a word. He simply moved his hand to my thigh and began to slide it up until he was cupping my throbbing mound through my jeans. I moaned loudly, pushing my hips up so I was pressed even more tightly against his hand.

Reaching over, I began to stroke him through his cargoes. His fingers stroked me through my jeans, and I felt my body tensing.

"C-Carlos!" I cried, and when his fingers made one hard swipe across my clit, I shattered with an orgasm so intense, I saw stars. My fingers tightened around him through his cargoes, and he growled low in his throat.

"Babe, if you want to make me come in my pants, keep doing that. Otherwise, wait two minutes, and then I can be buried so deep inside you, you'll choke on me."

I immediately loosened my grip but continued to stroke him softly. A minute later, Ranger turned down a side street and made his way back into the public park, where he pulled the car into a grove of trees.

Ranger twisted the key to turn off the engine and threw the driver's door open. He made it to my door in under two seconds and hauled me out of the car. Pulling me gently, he moved me up to the front of the Cayenne. I began unbuttoning my pants, and before I could even pull the zipper down, he had his own down around his ankles. He moved my hands out of the way and had my cargoes and panties off before I could do much more than blink. I cried out his name as he turned me around, one arm around my waist and the other bracing himself on the hood, and suddenly thrust himself deep inside me.

I'd never had sex out in the open, and it was so exhilerating that it didn't take long at all for me to explode in orgasm. Ranger followed soon after, joining me in bliss.

Minutes later, our breathing was finally beginning to slow down to normal, and he collapsed beside me, leaning on the hood of the Cayenne. He pulled me to him and began crooning to me in Spanish.

I never understood what he said unless he repeated it in English, yet...I wasn't sure I cared. I knew enough to know he'd said my life and I love you. That was good enough for me.

Finally, he stood up and pulled himself back together. He then helped me to stand up straight, picking my jeans and panties up from the ground and dusting them off before handing them to me. He held me steady as I slid them on and then pulled me to him gently, brushing his lips softly across mine several times.

"What are your plans this afternoon, Babe?"

"I'm going to the mall to try to find a birthday gift for Mary Lou's oldest. Then I'll head back to RangeMan to work on some searches for the rest of the day." I didn't think I needed to tell him I would stop by my apartment first.

"You drive, then," he said, holding up a hand to stop my protests. "You can drop me off at RangeMan and then go to the mall. Just think, you might get a great parking spot since it's my car." He winked at me before gently pulling me around to the driver's door.

After I was in and situated, he carefully shut the door and moved gracefully around to the passenger door. Once we were buckled in, I turned the car on and reversed, heading back to the office.

I dropped him off with a kiss and a promise to be careful and call if I needed him, and then I raced over to my apartment.

"What the hell?" I said, rolling my eyes in the way only a 'Burg girl could. I couldn't believe it. I pulled into the best parking spot in the lot. _Apparently the parking gods fear the car, not just Ranger,_ I laughed to myself as I rode the elevator to my floor.

I drew my gun and carefully opened my door, making a quick but thorough sweep of the apartment. I closed and locked the door and then put my gun back in the waistband of my jeans. Moving back to the bedroom, I saw the small box and the envelope on the bed. I smiled, remembering our first time on that bed.

Picking up the envelope, I sat down on the edge of the bed to read it. The front of the envelope said nothing but one word, in his flawless script: _Babe_.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_You are truly one of the most beautiful women I have ever had the chance to meet. Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but your inner beauty is stronger and shines brighter than everyone else. You are simply amazing, Stephanie._

_I wanted to give you a gift that could try to match up to your natural beauty. I had them made specifically for you. I hope you love it, even though it pales in comparison to you. Open and enjoy, Babe._

_To find your next clue, go on Friday and talk to the person in charge of your favorite place to buy breakfast before you go to the bonds office._

_Te quiero, Babe. All my love, forever and always,_

_Carlos_

~oOo~

I grinned widely at the reference to the Tasty Pastry. In two days, I would have an excuse to buy some donuts. As if I ever needed an excuse! My grin softened as I picked up the small box from the bed.

Opening it, I saw a pair of sparkling ruby red glass and pearl earrings. They matched the bracelet exactly. Ranger had to have put a lot of effort into getting these made. The thought made me tear up, and suddenly, I was clutching them to my chest and sobbing openly. I was the luckiest woman in the world, and I could not have been happier.

Gathering up the note, envelope, and earrings, I checked the apartment once more and then closed and locked the door behind me before making my way down to the Cayenne. Sliding inside, I turned the key, and the engine roared to life. I would make a quick run to the mall to pick up the gift and then head back to RangeMan to thank Ranger properly. It was going to be a good night, indeed!


	6. Chapter 6: A Shower AND Donuts!

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 6: A Shower AND Donuts!  
Stephanie's POV**

Friday morning dawned bright and early. I stretched and rolled over onto a warm, hard, mocha-latte chest. I moved my gaze up until I found myself staring into dark brown eyes—eyes that had finally lost the secrets they used to keep. Looking into Ranger's eyes now, I only saw pride, lust, and an overwhelming amount of love.

"Carlos, what are you doing here still? Shouldn't you be at work already?" I peeked over his shoulder to look at the clock. It was nearly seven, and he was normally out of the apartment by six.

He leaned down and gave me a long, soft kiss before sitting up. "I wanted to spend a few extra hours with you in my arms."

I immediately thought the worst. "What's wrong? Where are you going and for how long?"

"No, no, Babe. Nothing like that." His voice was soft but strong and reassuring. "I woke up with the alarm and looked down at you sleeping beside me, and suddenly, running and working didn't seem that important this morning."

He paused as I sat up, the sheet falling to my waist, and moved to brush my lips softly across his. His eyes darkened to almost a pitch black, and he scooted out from under the sheet, his body naked in the morning sunlight.

Holding out a hand, he said in a husky voice, "Come with me."

I crawled off the bed and took his hand without a word, having a very good idea of where we were heading and knowing that I would enjoy every second of it. My nakedness didn't bother me in the slightest as he pulled me into the bathroom and spun me around, pinning me to the wall with his arms. With his body flush against mine, I could feel his growing erection trapped between us.

I whimpered as he leaned into me, his lips trailing kisses up my collarbone to my neck until he reached my ear. His tongue came out and traced the shell before he sucked the lobe into his mouth. Reaching up behind him, I tangled my fingers into his hair and pulled his lips over to mine.

He moved one hand and turned the shower on, feeling the temp and adjusting until it was just right, and then stepped in and pulled me in with him. The water was perfectly warm and beat down on my back as he pushed me backwards gently into the stream, wetting my hair. He kept us moving until he was standing under the spray and then pulled me to him, our bodies slick with water, and clashed his lips against mine.

I hitched my leg over his hip, pulling my center against his rigid cock. He moaned against my lips and reached one hand to pull the leg at his hip farther around him, securing me to him. Pressing my back against the cool tiles, he pulled my other leg up until I tightened them around his waist. With one arm around my waist, he moved his legs apart, forcing mine to move with them, and guided his cock into me with his other hand.

For long minutes after, Ranger proved to me once again just how good he was in the shower. I gripped his shoulders hard, my nails digging into his skin.

"_Dios,_ Babe!" he cried.

His hands moved under my arms and around the top of my shoulders, holding on tight, helping to pull me down tight against his cock as he thrust into me.

When I knew I was close, I moved one hand and slid it between our bodies and down to where we were joined. My fingers found my clit, and I rubbed hard. I felt my muscles contract, and I shattered under the force of the orgasm.

I cried out, my body reacting to every slight movement.

As soon as he felt me clench around him, he thrust one last hard time into me. I felt his cock twitch as he spilled himself inside me, coming hard, breathy words echoing on the shower walls as he cried out.

He never failed to melt my heart when he murmured to me in Spanish when we were making love, and now was no exception. I buried my face in his neck and nearly wept. I could only understand a few words, but I knew without a doubt that he was pouring his heart and soul into the sentiment.

We stood, joined, under the spray for another several minutes, until Ranger lifted me off him, standing me on my own two shaky feet. We washed quickly, yet still caressed each other's bodies, and then hurried out to the bedroom to dress.

Ella had been up and delivered breakfast. We both had plates warming in the oven, so Ranger turned the oven off and carried both plates to the table. I grabbed silverware and bottles of water from the fridge and then sat down beside him to eat.

"What are your plans today, Babe?" Ranger asked over his egg white omelet and bowl of fresh fruit.

"Lula asked yesterday if I could help her with a couple of skips today, so I'm going there this morning. Then this afternoon, I have some searches that I need to complete so I'm free for surveillance tomorrow. We still doing the distraction tonight?"

After naming some military time, he noticed the squinching of my eyebrows as I thought, trying to translate into real time, and clarified with a chuckle, "That's nine o'clock tonight, Babe."

I took the last bite of my huge omelet with bacon, sausage, onion, mushroom, and green pepper, and moaned. "I am _stuffed_!"

He grinned as he stood up to take my plate to the kitchen.

"I'm sure Ella will be glad to hear you enjoyed it," he said as he walked into the kitchen. When he came back out, he pulled me to him in a big kiss. "I'll call you later, Babe. Call me if you need help."

"Don't get shot," I said quietly as he turned to leave.

He smiled softly at me over his shoulder and then grabbed his keys and left the apartment. I went back to the bedroom, pulled on my shoes, and finished fixing my hair and makeup. As I headed to the door, I put my gun in place at my lower back and scooped up my keys and purse before heading out the door.

Ten minutes later, I parked and walked into the Tasty Pastry. Walking up to the counter, I gave the kid behind the counter my name and asked to speak to the manager.

He yelled back for a man named Stan, and soon, a handsome young man made his way to the front with his arms full of a hanging bag, a medium box, a small box, and an envelope. "Stephanie Plum?" he asked, smiling pleasantly at me.

I nodded. "I'm guessing that's for me," I said. _Of course it is, dummy_, I thought to myself. I took the items from him, tucking the small box into my purse, the other box under my arm, and the hanging bag ended up folded across my arm. "Thank you so much!"

"There is one more thing," he said, and then motioned to the kid behind the counter. "Tommy, a dozen Boston Cremes, please."

Turning back to me, he said, "Mr. Manoso also wanted you to have the donuts as part of the gift." He reached to the counter and grabbed the box Tommy had set down. "Here you are, Ms. Plum. Enjoy!"

I took the box with my other hand and smiled. "Thank you! I know I will." I made my way out to the car and carefully loaded everything in before driving the little ways to the bonds office. Once there, I pulled out my cell and called Lula.

"Lula, come out and help me carry in a few things please," I told her.

She mumbled something to Connie as she hung up the phone, and then I saw her making her way out the door. I got out and walked around to the passenger's side. When she got to the car, I said hi and then handed her the box of donuts.

Her eyes lit up. "Skinny ass white girl, why didn't you say you had donuts out here for me? I woulda been out here a lot faster!"

I laughed. "Thanks, Lula. Get the door for me, would you please?"

She shut the car door behind me and then moved to open the office door.

"What is all that?" she asked as we walked inside.

"It's the latest set of gifts and note from Ranger," I said, smiling softly. "I haven't looked yet. There is a smaller box, which I'm sure contains jewelry, in my purse, too."

"Oooh, girl, open it!" Connie sounded as excited as I felt.

I grinned and pulled the small box from my purse. After setting it on top of the other box, I pulled out the envelope and opened it to read his latest note.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_I know I am constantly on you about eating healthier. I hope you know that is only because I want you by my side for many, many years to come. The donuts are my way of letting you know that even though I may tease you about it and try to get you to eat better sometimes (okay, most of the time!), I do love you and accept you the way you are. I wouldn't really change you for anything in the world, Stephanie._

_Open the bag first and then the big box. They are gifts from me to wear at a future time. The small box is on loan from Julie. She heard about the other two items and said she had something she thought would go perfectly. She wanted you to be able to wear it when the time comes._

_Don't worry about your next clue or surprise. You'll find it when it's time._

_I love you, Babe. You make every day of my life worth living and make me a better man just by being you._

_Yours always,_

_Carlos_

~oOo~

The girls both sighed as I re-read the note, out loud for their benefit this time. After putting the note back into my purse, I grabbed the hanging bag from the couch and hung it on a hook on the outside of the closet door. I slowly unzipped it to find the most stunning blue dress I'd ever seen.

It was sleeveless but had wide straps at the shoulders so I could wear a bra comfortably. It had a vee neckline in the front and back and a satin bodice with a twist at the empire waist. The ruching at the top of the skirt gave it enough of a pretty flair that it was far from plain, without being too fancy. Holding it up to me, it looked like it would hit just below my knee.

"It's beautiful," I said quietly, twirling around with it.

Just then, the office door opened, and in walked Ranger. I turned to face him, still holding the dress to my front, and when his eyes hit mine, they grew dark with desire and some emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Ladies," he said, looking at Connie and Lula by Connie's desk.

"Babe," he whispered as he walked up to me. "Do you like it?" He took it from me and hung it back on the closet door, placing a gentle kiss on my lips before I could answer.

"I love it," I said as I wrapped my arms around him. "Thank you."

"I need to check in with Vinnie and then grab the files and head back for a meeting before lunch. Will you be here for a few minutes?"

"Of course," I said, grinning.

He pulled me tighter to him and brushed my lips with his before releasing me and strolling into Vinnie's office, not bothering to knock.

Once the door shut behind him, the girls let out twin squeals.

"Oh my God, Steph!" Connie shrieked. "How can you stand that? I would die!"

Lula had plopped down onto the couch and was muttering to herself, something about hottie and breathing.

I zipped the dress back up into the bag and then went back to the desk and sat down, pulling the larger box to me. _Please let it be shoes_, I thought to myself. When I lifted the lid, there sat one of the prettiest pairs of silver FMPs I had ever seen. They had three-inch heels and a t-strap instep, with beautiful rhinestones set in a flower pattern in two places near my toes and mid-way to my ankles. There was a thin heel strap and an even thinner ankle strap to keep them on my feet. They would look stunning with the dress, and I knew I had a clutch that would match them perfectly.

_Did Ranger know that when he picked them out?_ I wondered. _Of course he did. He's Batman!_ I chuckled to myself as I showed them to the girls.

Finally, I picked up the small box. Inside were three jewelry bags. I picked up the first, and when I turned the bag upside down, a stunning sapphire and diamond silver bracelet fell out into my hand. The blue of the sapphires matched the dress perfectly, and the silver matched the shoes, of course. The stones were alternating the deep blue of the sapphires with clusters of gleaming diamond accents. I placed it around my wrist and held it, looking at how gorgeous it was against my skin. Setting it down on the desk carefully, I upended the second bag to find a pair of closely-matching earrings.

They were hoops, a row of round sapphires set between two rows of beautiful round diamonds, and had a hinged back. I laid them next to the bracelet and picked up the third bag.

The first thing out of the bag was a small piece of paper. The note from Julie was in a loopy, girly handwriting.

_Steph, here's something you can borrow! Love ya! Jules_

My eyes filled with tears. Ever since Scrog, Julie and I had emailed back and forth, even talking on the phone several times a week. I loved her just as much as I loved Ranger and missed her terribly. She had been to visit a handful of times, but we didn't see her often enough.

I shook the bag and out fell a beautiful necklace. It was a beautiful piece and went well with the bracelet and earrings. There were two curved lines of white gold. One was a simple strand of metal, the other studded with alternating sapphire and diamond accents. The two lines twirled around each other, looking almost like a couple of my curls.

Ranger picked that moment to come out of Vinnie's office. He smiled as he saw the jewelry and shoes on the desk. "Walk me out, Babe?"

I grinned and gave him my hand, nodding at Connie and Lula to say I'd be back in a minute.

He pulled me around the corner of the alley and had me pinned against the wall in a flash. His hands moved up my arms to cup my face, and instead of the hot and heavy making out we normally experienced there in the alley, his kisses were soft and tender. Altogether too soon, he pulled away enough to take my hand and lead me back to where the Cayenne was parked.

"I love you, Babe. Call me when you're ready for lunch, okay?"

I nodded, and he kissed me once more before climbing in with his files and pulling away. I waited until he was out of sight and then headed back into the office.

The girls and I chatted and ate donuts as I packed up the jewelry and shoes, and then Lula and I said goodbye to Connie and headed out to my car.

"Lula, follow me home, please. I want to drop these off at RangeMan before we go so if the car explodes, my new stuff won't be blown to bits with it."

She rolled her eyes but nodded, knowing there was a very real chance something like that would happen. "We'll take the Firebird to pick up the shits anyway. So you can drop the stuff and your car off, and then I'll take you back when we're done."

"Sounds good," I said, hopping into the car.

My mind was filled with thoughts of where Ranger would have me wear the dress, shoes, and jewelry, and the only thing I could think of in town was Rossini's. _Yay, date night!_ I thought, smiling to myself.

We pulled into the garage, and Lula stayed in the car while I called the control room.

Lester answered, since he was spending the morning covering the monitors for Binkie, who was sick with the flu. "Yo," he said.

"Hey, Les, I'm down in the garage. Can you have someone come down, pick up this stuff, and just leave it in Ranger's office for me? I'll get it and take it upstairs when I get back later."

"Sure, Beautiful. Someone will be right down."

I got out and grabbed all the stuff, standing beside the car to wait. As soon as Cal came out of the elevator, I handed him everything and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, big guy. Just leave it in Ranger's office for me. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Bomber. See you later."

I walked over, got into Lula's car, and started looking through the three files she had. There was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary, so after giving her the first address, I stared out the window, lost in my thoughts of what Ranger had planned next.


	7. Chapter 7: The Picture

_Warning for a light lemon. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 7: The Picture  
Stephanie's POV  
Monday Morning**

I woke up to a horrid beeping. _What the hell happened?_ I wondered. _Why am I in the hospital?_ I cracked my eyes open and realized that no, I was at home, asleep in our bed at RangeMan, and the beeping wasn't hospital related.

"Okay, okay," I told my alarm clock as I reached over and pushed every button I could to try to get it to shut up. "I'm awake!"

I finally hit the right button, and as I stumbled out of bed, I heard water running in the bathroom. Ranger was back from his run and getting ready for work. I got a sneaky grin on my face and quietly let myself into the bathroom.

I knew he would have heard me come in, so I wasn't surprised a strong, mocha-latte arm reached out and grabbed me when I got close to the shower and pulled me in. The scream that came out automatically was quickly quieted as Ranger crashed his lips against mine.

Much like the morning before, sex with Ranger in the shower was nothing short of spectacular. By the time I'd come twice, I was panting for breath and felt like I was floating in outer space.

We slowly crept back into reality. Ranger slid out of me, letting my leg drop back to the floor. If he hadn't been holding me upright, I would have followed my leg and found myself looking up at Ranger from the shower floor.

"Good morning, Babe," he whispered, smiling softly at me before enveloping me in a tight hug.

"Morning, Carlos," I said, grinning in response.

We spent fifteen more minutes in the shower, cleaning every part of each other's bodies. There may have been a few not-so-innocent touches, but for the most part, we kept it clean.

By the time I'd finished drying off, Ranger walked back into the bathroom, fully dressed for the day. "I'm going to head down to work now, Babe. Stop in and see me when you get down there?"

I nodded as he hooked his fingers over the top of the towel I'd wrapped around my body. Tugging it sharply, he pulled me closer to him and pulled the towel away. I watched his eyes darken as they took in every inch of my skin, from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

"Go," I whispered, "before I make you stay."

He kissed me long and hard and then pulled back, making sure I was steady before flashing a wolf-grin and turning away.

I finished getting ready, dressed in my cargoes, boots, and black RangeMan stretchy T-shirt with my hair pulled up in a ponytail so it was out of my way. I grabbed my gun, slid it into the back of my pants, and pulled the shirt over it before walking to the kitchen. I could smell breakfast and knew the breakfast fairy, otherwise known as Ella, had been there and gone. I turned the oven off and pulled a plate out, setting it carefully on the counter in front of a stool.

I grabbed a water and small bowl of fresh fruit from the fridge, and then sat and dug into the huge pile of cheesy scrambled eggs. I saw Ella had made bacon and sausage, as well as two pieces of toast. _Yummy_, I thought.

I had almost finished the eggs when I noticed something hanging on the wall of the living room across from the kitchen. It looked like a rather large picture, but it was covered in brown paper. _What in the world!_ That's when I saw the envelope taped to the front. I scarfed down the rest of my breakfast, knowing full well where my priorities lay, and then rinsed the dishes and almost ran over to the wall.

I pulled the envelope carefully off the paper, and instead of just the normal Babe on the front, in Ranger's perfect script, it said: _Babe, go ahead and pull the paper off. If you need help, call the control room and ask one of the guys. Then open the letter._

I set the envelope aside and then reached up and carefully pulled the paper off. When I saw what it had been covering, the paper fluttered to the floor as my hand moved up to my mouth. Hanging on the wall was a photo taken a month or so ago outside the bonds office in "our" alley, as I liked to think of it.

I remembered Tank coming around the corner to get Ranger when he had gotten an important phone call. He had brought his new toy, an expensive digital camera, to take a picture of Lula in the office, and I remembered he had snapped a picture of us before we could move. Even so, I'd had no idea he had kept it, let alone given it to Ranger.

In the picture, Ranger had me pinned up against the bricks of the building, the arm in back held up to block my escape that way and the arm in front toward the camera locked around my waist. I had one leg bent, with the foot propped against the building, and Ranger had his leg closest to the camera trapped between mine. My arms were wrapped around his neck, my fingers tangled in his hair, which was flowing loose around his shoulders, since I'd just finished pulling it out of the leather band holding it up. Our lips were less than two inches apart, and you could spot the love on both of our faces from even as far away as the camera.

Someone had developed the picture in black and white, giving it an almost old TV or movie feel. It looked hot and sexy and romantic, all at the same time. I grabbed the envelope and backed away until my knees hit the couch. I sat down then, my eyes never leaving the picture, and slid a finger into the envelope, opening it before pulling out the letter.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_There is nothing in this world more beautiful to me than you. Every time you look at me with that look of love and adoration, my heart nearly explodes with emotion. When Tank showed me this picture, I knew it was one I would cherish forever. You have that exact look on your face that I love, and I feel like it shows just how much we love and want each other._

_The setting for the picture is also someplace special to me, and I hope to you, as well. The thought of being with you there every morning that I can be makes me throb with need. I will never get used to the lust that hits me when I see you or even simply think of you. Knowing that you are mine and mine alone makes me feel like I might actually BE Batman._

_For your final clue, drive one of the RangeMan SUVs to my favorite makeout spot at 6:00 tonight. Wear the dress, shoes, and jewelry. Keep your eyes open when you get there, because you never know what you'll find._

_I love you, Stephanie. You are my life. Never forget that._

_Loving you always,  
Carlos_

~oOo~

As I read the note, my eyes teared up. I would never get tired of hearing that man tell me how I make him feel and that he loves me. I had waited so long to hear him say those words to me that even now, after being together as long as we had been, I still got a thrill every time I heard or read them.

I had no idea what Ranger had planned for this evening, but I knew it had to be magical or he wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. I checked the clock, and when I noticed the time, I knew I'd have to hurry downstairs to pick up Les so we could go get the files and get back in time to do all the research we needed before lunch. I gave the picture one last glance and pulled out my cell phone. I knew the girls would want to see it, and until I could have them over, this would have to do. I took a shot of the entire thing, then a closer one focusing on our upper bodies and faces. Once done, I put the cell back in my pocket, grabbed my keys, and headed down to five.

I was in such a good mood, I skipped the elevator and nearly flew down the two flights of stairs and down the hall until I reached Ranger's office. His door was open, so I knocked once and didn't say a word as I entered. He looked up at me, his expression curious. I smiled, shut the door softly behind me, and moved around his desk. He had his hand out, and when I took it, he smoothly pulled me down onto his lap.

The hand holding mine moved to wrap around my waist, holding me tightly to him, while the other moved up to softly cup my face. His thumb stroked my cheek as he bent his head forward to rest his forehead against mine. His eyes were closed, and I watched his throat move as he swallowed hard. I don't know what it was about, but I knew he was nervous and emotional, and those weren't emotions I was used to dealing with from him.

I moved my hands up to cup his face and tilt his chin up to look at me. "You okay, Carlos?"

He smiled then, his arm tightening around my waist. I smiled in return, and pressed my lips to his. It was a soft, tender kiss and made my heart ache with the feelings pouring out of it.

"I love you, my sweets."

He pulled back to look at me, love written all over his face. "I love you, too, Babe. I have meetings until four today, so this may be the last time I see you until tonight. Did you get the—"

I smiled, cutting him off with a finger to his lips. "The picture is amazing, Carlos. I think it's my favorite one of us ever. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Babe. Be sure and thank Tank at some point. He took the picture, after all. I just told him how I wanted it once he showed it to me."

I laughed. "He's become quite the photographer, hasn't he? Okay, I need to get Les and go pick up files from Connie, and then he and I will be back to run searches until lunch. See you tonight?" I smiled cheekily, knowing I'd see him wherever he had the next surprise set up.

He nodded. "Be safe today."

Grinning, I said, "Don't get shot. I know you'll be inside in meetings all day, but you never know..."

He pinched my ass as I got up, and I yelped as I walked quickly to the door. When I opened it, I saw Les headed down the hall toward me, and I waved. Turning back, I smiled once more at Ranger and whispered, "I love you," before moving out into the hall to grab Les.

"Let's go," I said. "Sorry for running late. Got another gift and note this morning, so I spent some time looking at it and then had to come down and thank Ranger."

He started to ask about the gift, and I said, "It's a picture Tank took. Don't worry, I'll show you when we get to the office. That way I only have to go through it once."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that if the guys had their way, everything I ever had to show or tell them would be done over and over again as I talked to them each individually.

Les laughed and said, "Fine, fine. Let's go, then, Beautiful. I'm assuming it's donuts first and then the office?"

I looked at him sharply. "Les, we've been partners for months now. Has there been even one morning that we _don't_ go for donuts before going to see Lula and Connie?" He laughed and shook his head, knowing the wrath of the ladies would be more than he would want to handle.

I climbed in the passenger seat and buckled in, thinking about tonight as Les drove us to the office. I couldn't wait to talk to Connie and Lula and get their opinion on what tonight would bring.

I knew that even if Les knew something, he wouldn't spill for fear of being shipped off to some third world country. Even knowing that, I turned to him. "Do you have any idea what Ranger—"

He cut me off with a sharp shake of his head. "Beautiful, there is no way I'm going to tell you. I like all my parts where they are, and I have no desire to move. Sorry, but you'll just have to be patient." He burst out laughing, knowing that I had hardly any patience at all.

I smacked his arm and thought, _Patience! Me?_

Sighing, I leaned back against the seat until we pulled up in front of the office.


	8. Chapter 8: Makeovers with the Girls

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 8: Makeovers with the Girls  
Stephanie's POV**

Two hours later, Les and I were sitting at Shorty's, eating an early lunch. "Hey, Les, do you mind if we pick up the skips tomorrow? I don't know what Ranger has planned for tonight, but I want to go get my hair and nails done since it's obviously dressy," I said, thinking of the gorgeous outfit Ranger had picked out for me to wear tonight.

"Sure, Beautiful. You going to call Lula or someone to go with you?" he asked.

"I thought I'd call all the girls, actually. Make it a girls' afternoon out."

He smiled and then grimaced. "You won't want me to come, will you?"

I laughed, knowing that the thought of being stuck with all of us getting our hair and nails done was making him nervous and a little bit sick to his stomach.

"No, you don't need to come. I don't have a stalker, and no one is after me. Plus, you know I'm carrying. I'm good, but thanks."

His features brightened again as he was let off the hook.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell phone to place a call. Ram was manning the phones in the control room and was all too happy to look up the numbers for the Trenton Day Spa and Mr. Alexander's Hair Salon. After hanging up with Ram, I called both places, and set up appointments to get the max done for all five of us. If one of the girls decided not to come, I could always change the number later.

Next, I dialed the bonds office.

"Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. This is Connie."

"Hey, Con, it's Steph. Is Lula there? I have a proposition for you guys."

"Hey, Steph! Yeah, she's right here. What's up?" I heard her mumble to Lula in the background, something about me having a question.

I finished the bite I was chewing and said, "Well, you know Ranger has plans to do something dressy, since the note said to wear all those gifts tonight. I thought I'd take off this afternoon to go get my hair and nails done and maybe get a wax, too. You guys want to join me? I'm gonna call Mary Lou and Val and see if either of them want to come, too."

"Hold on," Connie said. "Lemme ask Lula."

I heard more mumbling.

"Lula and I will both be there. Just tell us when and where. I can leave Vinnie in charge for a while."

"I'll meet you guys at the Trenton Day Spa at twelve thirty for our appointments. How's that sound?" I asked.

"Sounds good. See you then."

"Later, Con." I pressed end and sat for another couple of minutes, finishing my lunch. I pushed my empty plate away and picked up the phone again.

Mary Lou and Val both said they'd be able to join the rest of us at twelve thirty. At twelve fifteen, I dropped Les off at RangeMan and headed to the spa. As I pulled up and parked, I noted Lula's Firebird was parked right next to Mary Lou's and Val's minivans.

Walking in, I saw all the ladies sitting in the waiting area. "What's up?" I asked, smiling.

"They said it'll be fifteen minutes, and then they can fit us all in at once," Mary Lou said. "So we have plenty of time to talk about what's going on tonight." They all looked at me expectantly.

I smiled and shrugged. "Don't know. Rossini's is my guess, since I'll be all dressed up. The last note said to be at the bonds office at six. It said that my last clue will be there."

"Girl, Batman has got to have something big planned. My Tanky's been busy for weeks now. He won't tell me a thing!"

I laughed. "I know, Lula. Les refused to tell me anything, either. I guess I have to be patient."

We talked for a few more minutes until the lady came to the front to talk to us. She said, "Okay, you all are signed up for the massage and facial, as well as a manicure, pedicure, and I have one for a wax. Who's Stephanie?"

I raised my hand. "I'm going to be getting a brazillian wax."

The girls looked at me, bug-eyed.

"What?" I asked them. "It's a special occasion, obviously!"

"Okay, Stephanie, you come with me, and we'll do the wax now. Then when you're finished, your friends can join you for the rest."

I gave the girls a smile and then followed the woman down the hall to the torture chamber, as I liked to call it.

Thirty minutes later, I was clean and smooth. Jackie, the woman from the spa, led me to another room, and when I walked in, I found the other ladies already waiting on massage tables under sheets.

"How was it?"

"Did it hurt?"

"Are you as smooth as a baby's butt?"

Questions flew from their mouths as I pulled off my robe and slid the sheet around me before climbing up on the table and getting comfortable on my stomach.

"It was painful but nothing I couldn't handle. Yes, I'm pretty damn smooth," I said, grinning. I knew it would shock Ranger, since the last time I'd done it was in New York, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

Soon, the door opened, and in walked five gorgeous men. They weren't as big as the Merry Men, but they could easily have passed for Chippendale's dancers!

Talking stopped, and soon, the only sounds in the room were the occasional mumur from one of the men, asking if we were comfortable or if someplace felt better than another, and the very occasional soft moans as they hit just the right spot.

When all five of us had been turned into limp noodles, Jackie came back in and led us to another large room, where three reclining chairs sat with another small row of waiting room chairs sitting against the wall. "Okay," Jackie said, "which three want to go first?"

"Steph, you, Mary Lou, and Val go first," Connie said after looking at Lula. "That way if it starts getting late, you guys can go ahead and go to Mr. Alexander's, since you've got your date and Mary Lou and Val have the kids to worry about."

Lula nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Con. Thanks, Lula."

The three of us climbed carefully up onto the chairs, and for the next thirty minutes, our faces were cleansed, moisturized, plucked, and treated while our finger and toenails were soaked, trimmed, and painted. When we finished, we exchanged places with Connie and Lula and changed into our street clothes. Once Connie and Lula had finished and changed, I pulled out my credit card and paid for us all, and then we hurried out to drive the short distance to the mall to meet our appointments with Mr. Alexander.

We walked in, and I was immediately pulled into a hug. "Stephanie Plum! How are you?" Mr. Alexander was a tall man who always wore black and had long hair slicked back in a ducktail. He was a big fan of mine, and I knew we would be treated right.

"Mr. Alexander! I'm good. How are you?"

"Terrific, terrific. I understand you are in a hurry, correct? Let's set up your friends with my assistants, and I'll start working on you myself."

The girls got settled in with Mr. Alexander's assistants. Three of them, Cleo, Sam, and Thomas, had been with Mr. Alexander for as long as I could remember, but one woman named Kate was fairly new. Kate guided Val to her station in the corner while Cleo took Connie, Mary Lou went with Sam, and Lula with Thomas. Mr. Alexander pulled me over to his station and had a cape around me before I could blink.

"Okay, girlie, what can I do with your hair today? Looks like you need a trim to get the split ends off. You want to keep the length?"

I imagined Ranger's fingers threaded through my long curls at the height of our lovemaking and nodded.

"Okay, so just a smidge off, then. No time for color today. So let's go with wash, trim, and perfectly styled. How's that sound?"

"Sounds great," I replied, smiling at him in the mirror.

He led me over to the wash basins, where Mary Lou and Connie were already in the midst of being lathered up.

Sometime later, Mr. Alexander turned me around to face the mirror, and I nearly cried. My curls were loose and soft, framing my face and giving me a sexy just-got-done-making-love look.

"It's perfect," I told him.

I gave him a hug and went to where Mary Lou and Val were waiting.

Fifteen minutes later, I looked at my watch. "I need to go. I still need to change clothes and put my makeup on. Will you tell Connie and Lula bye for me and tell them I'll talk to them tomorrow?"

They nodded and hugged me, thanking me for the spa and haircut.

I paid quickly and then jumped into my car and sped over to RangeMan. It was nearly five o'clock, and that left me an hour to get dressed and prettied up before being at the bonds office. If I wasn't careful, I'd be late, and I wasn't sure how happy that would make Ranger!


	9. Chapter 9: The Alley & Lester?

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 9: The Alley...and Lester?  
Stephanie's POV**

I pulled into the RangeMan garage a few minutes later and hurried into the elevator, giving the guys in the control room a finger wave into the camera. Tapping my toes as I rode to the seventh floor, I thought about what I needed to do in order to be ready to go in an hour. Once the elevator reached the top floor, I stepped out and walked into the apartment, giving the new picture on the wall a quick glance and soft smile.

Since my hair was already done, all I had to do was get dressed and put on my makeup. I walked into the bedroom, pulled the dress and shoes out of the closet, and laid them on the bed. I went back into the closet and opened the safe, pulling out the jewelry from Ranger and Julie, and set them on the bed, as well.

I quickly pulled on the dress, marvelling at how well it fit and flattered my figure, and then moved into the bathroom to begin my beauty ritual. I thought I'd go with a light amount of makeup, since Ranger preferred me without it completely.

I applied a soft base and powder and then added a light pink blush, giving my cheeks a pale glow. Smoky gray eyeshadow brought out my blue eyes, and three coats of mascara gave me a confidence I didn't really feel. Capping off the look was a pale pink lipstick with some clear, strawberry-flavored lip gloss, giving my lips a nice shine.

Once my makeup was done, I quickly made my way to the bedroom and pulled on the shoes. Then I took the jewelry into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror to put it all on. They matched the dress and shoes perfectly and absolutely completed the look. I smiled, thinking once again how wonderful Ranger was. He never failed to pick out items that I would not only love but would look good on me.

I found my silver clutch in the closet and transferred my wallet, keys, and various other essentials from my current purse to the clutch. I grabbed my gun from the side table in the bedroom and put it in, leaving just enough room for my lipstick and gloss. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I saw that it was five forty-five. _Time to go_, I thought, taking one last glace at myself in the mirror.

~oooOOOooo~

**Meanwhile, in the RangeMan garage...  
Lester's POV**

I was sitting in Tank's office, looking over some reports, when Binkie called from the control room. "Bomber just stepped off the elevator on seven."

"Thanks, man." I had asked them to let me know when she got there so I could take off in her car to drive it to the bonds office and install the GPS system. Making my way to the garage, I stopped and grabbed the extra set of keys to Steph's car and then headed down the stairs after grabbing the bag with the GPS.

I drove to the bonds office and parked in the alley. I had plenty of time to get the GPS installed and call Kate to confirm our date for later tonight. Kate was a busty redhead that worked with Mr. Alexander. I had met her while accompanying Bomber to get her hair cut last month. We'd been out several times already, and I was looking forward to seeing her tonight.

Twenty minutes later, the GPS was installed and ready for Steph. It would lead her to Ranger's house, located a few minutes outside of Trenton. I settled down into the seat and called Kate.

"Hello?" Her voice was quiet when she answered the phone.

"Hey, doll. You ready for our date?"

"Hi, Les! Just about. Still on for six thirty?"

I smiled when she sounded genuinely excited. "We are. I'll pick you up then. Dinner and dancing at the new club, right?"

"I remember," she said, laughing softly. "I have a great new outfit. See you in a few, Les."

"See you, doll." I hung up and looked at the clock. Steph should be here in just a few minutes. I turned on her radio, tuned in to my favorite station, and listened as I watched traffic go by.

Five minutes later, Binkie called.

"Yo," I answered.

"Hey, Stephanie just drove out of the garage."

"Thanks, man. I've got a date, so will see you later tonight." I hung up the phone and called Ranger.

"Yo," he answered, sounding nervous.

"Hey, boss. Steph is on her way here to the bonds office. I'll call once the switch has been made."

"Thanks."

After I'd hung up the phone, I turned off the radio and got out of Steph's car to stand against the wall, waiting for her.

Ten minutes later, right at six o'clock, the big, black SUV pulled to the curb, and Steph hopped out. "Les? What are you doing here?"

I smiled and handed her the envelope from Ranger. "Giving you your next clue. Read it before you get in the car. I'll wait in the SUV until you leave, and then I'll drive it home while you take your car." Giving her another smile, I walked over to the SUV. Turning back, I saw her looking at the envelope. "Oh, and Steph?" She looked up at me. "You look gorgeous."

She smiled softly. "Thanks, Les."

I nodded and got into the SUV to wait.

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

I could feel my body trembling as I slid my finger into the envelope and pulled out the letter.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_We're almost done. I'm sure you're wondering what's going on. Just be patient for a few more minutes, and everything will be revealed._

_Your next gift is in the car. I had Lester install it while you changed into your new dress. Just follow the instructions and trust me, please._

_I love you, Stephanie. Never forget that._

_You will need the following information in this same order:  
7566492  
63841_

_Loving you always and forever,  
Carlos_

~oOo~

I was more curious than ever, so I waved to Les and then slid into the car. Mounted on the dash was a brand new GPS. Taped to the front was a note in Lester's messy scrawl.

~oOo~

_Beautiful,_

_Just hit the green button to turn it on, and once you have backed out of the alley and are parked right in front of the office, hit it again and the GPS will lead you to where you need to go. Enjoy!_

_Les_

~oOo~

I watched as Les backed the SUV up past the entrance to the alley, and then I backed out and pulled forward in front of the office. Rolling down my window a bit, I waved to him and then pressed the button.

For a few minutes, I followed the instructions from the slightly robotic voice of the GPS. I had driven to the outskirts of Trenton, where I then turned and headed in another direction for five miles. The GPS then told me to turn right, and I found myself traveling down a gravel road. When I got almost a mile in, I came upon a gate. I had no idea where I was. It was then I noticed the symbol engraved in metal on the gate and on the keypad. My jaw dropped, and I swallowed hard.

Was that a bat?

_Am I at the... No! I couldn't be! Could I?_


	10. Chapter 10: To the Batcave!

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 10: To the Batcave!  
Stephanie's POV**

With a shaking hand, I reached out my window and typed in the first code Ranger had given me. The gates opened in front of me, allowing me to drive through. I pulled up by the garage door and parked before getting out, making sure to take the note with me.

I made my way to the front door to find two scanners, one right above the other, and a note taped to the side of them, telling me to place my thumb on the lower one and bend so my eye was in front of the top one. I followed the directions and was shocked when the house talked me.

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Stephanie," a robotic voice said. "Please enter your code."

I was visibly shaking as I entered the five digit code that Ranger had left in my note. As soon as I had the fifth number entered, I heard the locks click open. I timidly opened the door and found myself in a foyer with a small table in the corner. On the table was a note.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_Leave your purse on the table and follow your nose. Feel free to explore on your way unless you want to wait for a tour guide. I can't wait to see you._

_I love you, Stephanie. You are my life._

_Yours,  
Carlos_

~oOo~

I quickly dropped the two notes and my purse onto the table and took a look around. There was a closed door on the left, most likely a coat closet, and an open doorway on the right. I went through the doorway and found myself in a living room. There was a fire blazing in the fireplace in the middle of the far wall, and there were fresh flowers sitting in the middle of the coffee table. Soft music was playing, and the lights were dimmed, so I couldn't see much of the room. I saw two sofas, a couple of overstuffed chairs, and a big area rug anchoring them all in the middle of the room.

I decided to wait to explore until after I found out what was going on, so I followed my nose through the living room and down a short hallway until I found a huge, brightly-lit, absolutely gorgeous kitchen.

Standing in the middle of the kitchen was an equally gorgeous Ranger, looking stunning in a cable knit, dark blue sweater over a white collared shirt, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He had them paired with dark slacks and loafers, and when he saw me, his eyes lit up, making him even more handsome.

He pulled a huge bouquet of fresh flowers out from behind his back and handed them to me. Without saying a word, he took my other hand and pulled me gently to him. His lips found mine, and he kissed me. It wasn't a kiss full of lust or hunger, but it was full of emotions, nonetheless.

Pulling back, he brushed his hand down my cheek and whispered, "Babe."

I smiled softly and whispered back, "Hi, Carlos. Is this what I think it is?"

He laughed. "Welcome to the Batcave, Babe. I made us dinner, so if you don't mind, let's eat, since it's hot and ready. I'll answer any questions after that, okay?"

My stomach growled in response. "I guess that's a yes," I said, laughing.

I set the flowers down on the counter as he led me to the table off at the end of the kitchen. He pulled out my chair, and once I was sitting, he moved back into the kitchen.

Opening the huge, stainless steel fridge, he pulled out a lime and two Coronas. He quickly sliced the lime and pushed a slice into each beer before bringing them to the table. Then he went back into the kitchen and dished up two plates from the cookware on the stove and from the oven. When he set my plate in front of me, my mouth began watering even more. He had made stuffed peppers and tamales with black beans and corn.

After taking a bite of each, I looked up at him in surprise. "Carlos, this is wonderful! Why have you not made it before?"

"Babe, I don't have a lot of time to cook, and since Ella is the one that usually cooks for us, I just haven't had a chance to. This was one of my favorite dishes growing up, so I wanted to share it with you tonight."

I took another bite and moaned. When I looked up from my plate, I noticed that Ranger's eyes had darkened to a pitch black, and he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Sorry, but it's delicious," I said, grinning.

"Babe," he answered in a soft growl. "Never apologize. You are so sexy, and the sounds you make just drive me crazy with need." He leaned over and captured my lips with his for a quick, hard kiss.

"I didn't tell you when you came in," he continued, "but you look absolutely sensational. I knew you would. You make the dress beautiful, Babe. The jewelry and dress match your eyes so perfectly. Did you have a good time this afternoon? Les mentioned you went to the spa and to Mr. Alexander's. Your skin is glowing, and your hair is perfect. You didn't get it cut, just styled, right?"

I laughed. "Thank you, sweets. I had a great afternoon. I got a massage and facial," explained, wiggling my fingers toward him, "and a manicure and pedicure; and yes, I got a trim, but no length was cut off. How did your meetings go?"

We spent the rest of dinner talking about the meetings he'd had throughout the day.

When we finished our meal, Ranger asked with a small smirk, "Dessert?"

"Wow, dessert, too? You're spoiling me tonight! Of course," I said, grinning.

He stood up and took a step over to pick up my plate. Instead of grabbing the plate, he dropped down to one knee in front of my chair and turned me to face him.

Sliding his hand into his pants pocket, he pulled it back out and had a small, black box in his palm.

"Carlos!" I cried softly.

He put a finger to my lips to hush me.

"Babe, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. For years, I thought I would never truly fall in love. Then several years ago, I met this incredible, curly-haired, blue-eyed beauty that literally took my breath away. That same gorgeous woman has me wrapped around her finger even more so today. I didn't think it was possible to love anyone as much as I love you. I didn't think I was _worthy_ of loving or being loved. You make me want to be a better man, Babe. I have finally realized that I can't live without you. I don't care when. I don't care how. Stephanie Michelle Plum, would you do the honor of becoming my wife?"

My eyes, which had begun tearing up at the beginning of his speech, were now weeping in earnest. Ranger took my hand and pulled a beautiful, princess-cut sapphire and diamond ring from the box. He had it poised at the end of my third finger on my left hand, waiting for my answer.

I decided to cut him some slack and not make him wait any longer. "Ricardo Carlos Manoso, it would give me nothing but pleasure to be your wife. I love you," I said softly.

He slid the ring on my finger, whispering, "_Te quiero,_ Stephanie," before crushing his lips to mine. Dessert was forgotten as he swept me into his arms. He carried me to the stairs, our lips and tongues meeting the entire way. When we reached the stairs, he set me on my feet, tangling his fists in my hair and pulling me tighter to him.

I was suddenly overwhelmed with need to have him inside me. "Carlos," I begged, my voice husky.

My hands moved down to the button on his slacks, and as quickly as I could without doing any damage, I had them undone and down around his ankles. His erection sprang free, and before he could do anything more than groan, I had dropped to my knees and begun pleasuring him with my mouth.

Before he could orgasm, he pulled back. "Wait, Babe. I want to be inside you. Let's go upstairs."

I shook my head and turned over on the stairs, so I was on my hands and knees. Pulling my dress up to my waist, I showed him without words that I had nothing on underneath. Giving him a pleading look over my shoulder, I silently begged him to take me.

Our coupling wasn't gentle. His hand gripped my hip too hard, my knees rubbed the carpet with every thrust...but by the time I came, I felt none of it. All I could feel was pleasure as he followed me over the edge.

We collapsed on the stairs, our clothes damp with sweat and our breath coming in gasps. When we could finally sit up, we took stock of our positions. My dress was around my waist, and Ranger's slacks were still around his ankles. I would probably have bruises on one hip from where he had been holding me, and my knees were raw and bleeding from rugburn.

When he saw the red knees and handprint on my hip, his eyes darkened again and seemed to be shiny with unshed tears. "Babe," he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Oh God, I'm sorry."

I cupped his face softly and put one finger over his lips to shut him up. "Carlos, don't be sorry. I wear every single mark with pride. I wanted this as much or more than you did. I'm not one bit sorry. Don't you take this and make it bad for me. I love you. I loved that. Please, for me."

He nodded and pulled me close.

We lay there on the stairs for several minutes before I laughed. "What a sight we are! Come on, Batman. Let's go get cleaned up, and then if you're up to it," I said, grinning and running my fingers up the length of him, "maybe I'll let you make it up to me. On the bed this time."

He stood up, pulling his slacks up and zipping them without bothering to button them, and then took my hand and helped me to my feet. He smoothed my dress down and kissed my lips tenderly before whispering, "Let's go upstairs, Babe. I want to show my future wife what will be her favorite room in the entire house." He smirked and began leading me upstairs.

Opening one door, he led me inside. I looked around at the beautiful furnishings but barely had time to glance at everything before he pulled me to another door. This time when he opened it, he stepped aside and pushed me ahead of him gently.

For several minutes, I did nothing but stand there, mouth open wide, jaw nearly down to my chest. "Carlos!" I gasped softly.

"Babe." He smiled his full two-hundred-watt smile and wrapped his arms around me as I continued looking around the beautiful room.


	11. Chapter 11: Aren't They Tired Yet?

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 11: Aren't They Tired Yet?  
Stephanie's POV**

I found myself standing in the doorway of the most amazing bathroom I'd ever seen. It looked like a bathroom from a magazine or one of those home design shows on HGTV that Mary Lou liked to watch. It was done in soft, pale yellows and tans, with light wood cabinets. The floor was a beatufiul slate tile, a darker shade of tan than the walls.

Ranger knelt down at my feet and slowly slid each of my shoes off. "Stand here a minute, Babe."

I stood quietly, unable to keep my eyes from roaming around the room, when suddenly, I could feel it. "Carlos, the floor is heated! Oh my God!"

He laughed. "You never have to step out onto a freezing cold bathroom floor again, Babe." He pointed to the left. "Over here is the vanity. You see there are two sinks, plus a seat with extra bright lights and swivel mirrors for you to do your makeup and hair. Right around the corner, behind that sliding door, is the toilet."

"This is all so amazing," I said, scarcely breathing. "Look at that tub!" The bathtub was big enough for the both of us, a clawfoot, old-fashioned monstrosity that looked amazing in front of a huge, beautiful, stainglass window.

Ranger turned me around to face the shower. He stepped behind me and slowly began undoing the zipper on my dress, peppering soft kisses across my shoulder and up my neck to my ear. He breathed softly across my ear before whispering, "Would you like to try the shower now, Babe?"

I whimpered and barely nodded my head as he pulled my dress up over my hips, past my waist, and above my breasts. I lifted my arms, and he pulled it the rest of the way off, tossing it to the floor. He took a good, long look at me standing there in nothing, his eyes moving slowly up and down my naked body. I blushed, and when his eyes finally met mine again, I saw they once again were black with desire.

Reaching out, my hands found the top of his slacks and pushed them down until they pooled around his ankles. He kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his slacks, toeing his socks off. He stood up, and my hands moved to the bottom of his shirt and sweater. I pulled them up as far as I could and then began to kiss every inch of his exposed chest and abs while he took over and finished removing his clothes.

When he wrapped his fingers in my hair and pulled me to him, I moaned. His long, thick shaft was as hard as a rock and trapped between us, pressing against my lower abdomen. He walked us toward the shower, our bodies pressed tightly against each other from our chests to our thighs.

He caressed my lips with his own as he reached around me to turn on the shower. As soon as the water was the perfect temperature, he picked me up and stepped under the spray, letting the hot water fall over us both.

Making love in the Batcave's shower was no different than the one in the apartment at RangeMan. It was hot water, cold tiles, and a passion that made everything else pale in comparison. By the time our orgasms faded, leaving us breathless and sated, neither of us could moved.

Ranger slid carefully to the floor of the shower, pulling me gently down onto his lap with him still buried inside me. "Dios, Babe!"

I leaned down and gently kissed the spot on his throat that I had marked, little pinpoints of blood dotting the bite mark.

"Oh geez, Carlos! I'm sorry..." I frowned and pulled back a little. "Did I hurt you?" I moved my hands to carefully cup his face, searching for any trace of pain.

He pulled me closer to him and brushed my lips with his. "Babe, I loved it. If you haven't noticed, I like a little pain." He grinned at me. "I love that I make you lose control like that."

We sat like that for several minutes until we felt the water get a little bit too cool to be comfortable. He lifted me up gently to my feet and then stood up himself. "Come on, Babe. Let's wash up quickly and get warm again."

We quickly—but very thoroughly—washed each other, enjoying it way too much to be a simple shower. When we stepped out, we wrapped towels warmed from the towel warmer on the wall around our bodies. Ranger grabbed a third towel and a comb and led me to the bedroom.

He sat back on the bed with his back against the headboard and pulled me down to sit between his legs. He used the towel to dry my hair slightly and then pulled the comb through it, carefully combing out the tangles. With every few strokes of the comb, he would lean forward and place a gentle kiss on my neck or shoulder. By the time he had combed out all my hair, I was shocked to find I was ready for him again.

I leaned back against him for a second before climbing off the bed. I dropped my towel, watching his eyes darken, and then took the towel he'd used on my hair and the comb from him. "My turn," I told him.

He scooted up, and I climbed up behind him, my legs sliding down on either side of his.

I gently toweled his hair a bit and then followed his example. Every few strokes of the comb, my lips would brush his skin. I let one hand slowly slide down his back, my nails trailing over his skin lightly. By the time I'd finished his hair, he was shaking under my touch.

He slowly stood up from the bed and dropped his towel before taking the other towel and the comb from me and setting them on the bedside table. Like a big cat stalking its prey, he slowly slid up onto the bed, crawling up to me. Stretching out beside me and cupping my face with one hand, he kissed me softly. I moved my hands up and down his back slowly, just loving the feel of him under my fingers.

He reached up, pulled my arms from his back, and held them above my head with one hand. "Don't move them, or I stop," he whispered, his voice low and husky.

I nodded, letting him know I understood and would play along. He kissed my lips sweetly and then began kissing his way across my jaw and down my neck.

When he moved down to my chest, his lips found the spot right above my breast that he'd marked in the shower. His tongue slid out, and he traced the mark, causing me to whimper, before he moved down and captured my nipple in his mouth. There was no roughness or rush to his movements. He used his hand to roll my other nipple slowly between his fingers, bringing it to a peak, as his tongue and lips worked on my other.

He lifted his head and blew lightly across my now wet nipple before switching sides and giving the same treatment to the other. After sucking and licking the nipple for several minutes, he scraped his teeth lightly across it. I arched my back, wanting more. His hand moved to press down on my hips gently, keeping me on the bed as he continued kissing his way down my body.

Ranger french-kissed my navel, his tongue swirling around inside, teeth nibbling the edges. I tried thrusting my hips up to get more from him, but the hand across my hips held me firm against the bed. I whimpered again when he kissed right above my pubic bone, just above where I had been waxed.

"You...like?" I stammered out, unable to form complete sentences.

He shook his head and then looked me in the eyes as his tongue trailed a path slowly downward, first over one puffy, wet lip and then over to and up the other. "No, Babe. I love."

All the doubt flew from my mind, and I was filled with desire as Ranger then sucked one lip into his mouth, his tongue probing and caressing it before letting it slide out. He flicked my clit with the tip of his tongue once before moving to the other lip and sucking it into his mouth like he had the first.

I writhed under the movements of his mouth, the sucking and nibbling making my already sensitive nerves go into overload. Just when I thought I might explode, he left my center and began pressing open-mouthed kisses down my right leg. His tongue swirled around my skin, leaving a damp trail. Every few inches, he would pull away slightly and blow across the dampness, raising goosebumps on my skin. It seemed to delight him, knowing he was causing that reaction from my body. He made his way down to my toes, and as he began to rub my foot, he sucked my toes into his mouth, one by one, slowly and tenderly caressing each one with his tongue.

I'd never been a foot lover, but Ranger's attentions were definitely making me rethink my position.

He switched legs finally, massaging my left foot and sucking each toe gently before kissing and blowing his way up my left leg. He got to my inner thigh, and instead of kissing, he sucked in the skin hard, marking me there, as well. When he pulled away, the spot was throbbing, along with my clit.

"Carlos!" I whimpered softly, wanting to reach for him but remembering he had wanted me to stay still. "Please!"

He growled quietly. "Not quite yet, Babe. I still want to taste you as you come apart on my tongue."

As soon as he said that, he lowered his head, bringing me to heaven and back with his mouth and fingers twice.

When he finally let me calm slightly, he moved away and slowly slid back up the bed until he was near my head. He pulled me onto my side, facing him, and began to kiss me, letting me taste myself on his lips and tongue. When he reached down with one hand to pull my top leg up, I moaned against his lips. He moved forward just enough that the head of his erection rested against my opening. He slid his leg in between mine and thrust slightly, moving just a couple of inches inside me.

I couldn't stand it any longer. My hands moved to his hair, tangling in the long strands and pulling him back from my mouth. "Now, Carlos. Please. Make love to me," I whispered.

He smiled softly, and before I could say anything else, he slid slowly into me until he could go no farther.

We made love while lying on the bed, facing each other. There were long, slow, tender strokes, our hands lovingly caressing each other and lips kissing every inch of skin we could reach. After what seemed like hours, his hand moved down between us and began gently stroking my clit. I came again, my juices flowing out around him and coating both our thighs. When he felt me contract around him, he couldn't hold back his orgasm any longer, and with one last thrust, he came once more.

Gathering me in his arms, still buried deep inside me, he kissed me once before we both fell into an exhausted sleep. The last thing I heard before I slept was Ranger's whispered Spanish.


	12. Chapter 12: What's the Rush?

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 12: What's the Rush?  
Stephanie's POV**

My eyes opened slowly, adjusting as light streamed into the bedroom through the huge windows. The memory of the last twelve hours hit me suddenly, and I gasped. I was in the Batcave, and Ranger had asked me to marry him last night!

I looked down at the mocha-latte arm wrapped gently around my middle. That and the hard body pressed against me from behind was what I was going to wake up to every morning for the rest of my life, if I had any say about it.

I lay there in Ranger's arms for several minutes, not wanting to move away from him at all. Finally, nature called loudly, interrupting my dream of lying in bed all day, wrapped in his arms. I tried to gently scoot my way out from the hold he had on me but was stopped when his arm tightened.

"Going somewhere, Babe?" His voice was deep and gruff from sleep.

"Just to the bathroom. I'll be right back. Keep my spot warm for me?" I asked, turning and giving him a quick kiss.

"Always, Babe." He loosened his hold, allowing me to slide off the bed.

I walked quickly to the bathroom and relieved myself, taking stock of my appearance in the mirror as I washed my hands. I could see two very dark love bites, courtesy of my man in black—one on my breast, and another lower, on my inner thigh. My hands and knees had rug burns from our time on the stairs. I had bruises in a few places from where Ranger had held me a little too tightly.

After taking a long look, the biggest thing I noticed was my smile. It seemed to be permanently fixed on my face. I looked like a woman that had been well loved in every way possible.

I gave myself one more satisfied look in the mirror and then hurried back into the bedroom and slid under the sheet, turning to face Ranger. "Good morning," I said before kissing him softly.

"Babe," he replied. He gathered me in his arms, returning my kiss as he held me tightly against his chest. "This is definitely something I could get used to fast." His voice was soft, the harsh edge of sleep gone.

He released me and pulled the sheet down, his eyes trailing the satin as it slid down my body.

Ranger suddenly cursed in Spanish and then moved the sheet completely away from my body. "_Dios_, Stephanie," he muttered harshly. "I hurt you. Look at me, Babe." He pulled my chin up as I watched him quietly, unsure of what he meant.

"Carlos? What are you talking about?"

"Look at the bruises," he said, pointing to the finger-shaped bruises on my hip, "and the marks. Your breast and thigh. Dammit, Babe, I'm so sorry."

I sat up quickly, knowing I had to put a stop to his line of thinking right that minute. "Carlos, sit up and look at me." When his blank face slid into place and he refused to meet my eyes, I pulled out the big guns. "Please," I whispered.

The mask he wore slipped enough that I saw a flash of emotion run across his face, and he sat up, still not looking at me.

"No, _look at me,_" I said forcefully.

He finally, slowly, raised his head to look directly at me. The pain I saw in his eyes nearly made me gasp aloud.

"Oh, baby. No, no, you didn't hurt me."

"But look, I—"

I cut off the beginnings of his protest with a finger over his lips.

"What? Marked me? Yes, you did," I said with a soft smile.

He cursed again, shaking his head. "That's a little more than just marked, Stephanie," he spit out.

I nodded. "So you left bruises when I made you so crazy you lost control? A few. But God, Carlos, I wouldn't change anything about last night. _Anything_," I stressed. "Last night was the most amazing night of my life. I never knew it could be like that. I never knew _I_ could be like that! You bring out a side of me I didn't know existed, and I couldn't be happier about it. I'm proud of every one of those marks. The ones on my breast and thigh are proof that I am yours and yours alone."

With every sentence, the mask fell more and more, love overriding all other emotions.

"The bruises are proof to myself that I am a sensual, desirable woman and that I can make you feel like you've made me feel for years. You have no idea how that makes me feel." I finished my speech with a whispered, "Thank you, Carlos. You have no idea what you've given me."

He didn't speak a word, simply slid down and pulled me with him until I was lying half on top of him, snuggled in his arms. We lay there for a few minutes, before he finally spoke.

"I love you, Babe. I've loved you for a long time. Sometimes, I feel like I've loved you my whole life without knowing it."

My heart felt like it was going to explode. I wasn't sure I'd actually be able to speak, but I decided to try anyway. "Carlos, marry me."

He laughed. "Babe, I asked you last night, remember? You said yes."

"No, I mean, marry me. Tomorrow. Today, if we can. I don't want another day to go by without being Mrs. Ricardo Carlos Manoso." I'd been so sure I'd never get married again. Every time Joe had even hinted at it, I'd panicked. There was none of that fear now...only anticipation and excitement.

He leaned up on one elbow, tracing one finger of his other hand down my cheek softly. "Babe, are you sure about that? What about a big wedding? What about your mom?"

"Carlos, you're all I've ever needed. I had a big wedding with the Dick. My mom would just take over, and it would end up being more _her_ ideal wedding than mine. All I need is you and someone to marry us. We can let our mothers throw us a shower later. Please, marry me," I whispered, pleading with him.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

My heart had never felt as full as it did at that moment. I'd worried that Stephanie wouldn't really want to get married since she'd had such a rotten experience with it the first time around. When she uttered those three words in that hushed tone, I would have given her the heart right from my chest if that's what she'd asked for. I leaned down and brushed my lips across hers lightly as my hand reached toward the bedside table.

Resting up on my elbow, I began running my fingers gently through Steph's curls with one hand while the other dialed a number on my cell.

"Yo," Tank answered.

"I need you to look up the number for Christopher James at the Bellagio in Vegas."

"Uh, now? Boss, it's 0600..."

I rolled my eyes, watching Steph nearly snort as she laughed at my expression, and said, "Yes, now."

"What's going on, Ranger?" Tank asked curiously. I heard him typing away at the keyboard, so I knew he was looking it up.

"Just look up the damn number."

While I waited, I leaned down and brushed my lips across Stephanie's, watching her bright blue eyes darken as she reached out to trail her fingers down my chest. I swallowed hard as she reached my nipples, tweaking each one hard before continuing down.

Tank read off the number twice and then said, "Wanna tell me what's going on? Isn't Christopher the manager there at the hotel? He owes you a huge favor for finding his daughter a few years ago, right?"

I sighed. "Yes, he is. I'll explain everything later. As of right now, I'm offline for seventy-two hours. You're in charge. Not a word to anyone."

He was silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, I could tell he understood. "Got it. Tell Bomber I said congratulations," he said, the smirk evident in his tone. "And Carlos, it's about time, man. I'm happy for you."

I smiled then, looking down at Steph's face, her finger tracing circles around my navel. "Thanks, man. Call you in a few days."

I pressed end and lowered my head until my lips were hovering over Stephanie's. "Babe, if you go any lower, we won't make it out of here anytime soon. Your choice."

She sighed and pushed her head up off the pillow to kiss me softly. "Fine, fine. I'll wait patiently," she said, grinning.

I chuckled as I dialed the number Tank had given me.

"Hello?" a faintly familiar voice said.

"Is this Christopher James?"

"It is. May I ask whose calling? How can I help you?"

"This is Carlos Manoso. We met—"

I was interrupted by, "Oh! Yes, of course. I remember you, Mr. Manoso. You brought my daughter home for me when she was kidnapped. What can I do for you?"

"Call me Carlos, or Ranger, please. How is your daughter?"

"She's doing well, thank you, Carlos. She's been in therapy since she got home but is down to only going once a month."

"That's great," I said, really meaning it. After Julie had been kidnapped, I knew how he had felt when his daughter Samantha had been taken. I moved my thoughts back to the gorgeous woman lying naked in my bed beside me. "Actually, I need a big favor."

"Name it. Anything, remember? Nothing I can do for you can repay you for what you did."

"I would like to come to Vegas today and get married there at the hotel tomorrow. Would that be possible?" I waited for his answer, mentally crossing my fingers that the schedule was clear or that he could shuffle things to accommodate us.

"Congratulations!" he exclaimed. "I think that would be fine, but let me check the computers quickly." Less than a minute passed before he said, "There is a wedding the day after tomorrow, but the field is clear for tomorrow. Would you like me to put you down on the schedule?"

I looked at Steph, my eyebrow raised. "Babe? Are you sure?"

She nodded, smiling softly at me.

"Yes, please, Mr. James. I want the best package you have. I will gladly pay any amount extra that you need to cover the debt."

"No payments necessary, Carlos, and call me Chris. Every time you say Mr. James, I look around for my father. I think what would be perfect is our 'Bellagio' package. It includes chapel time, an officiant, the bouquet and boutonniere, a walkway of petals and an aisle runner, a DVD of your ceremony, live broadcasting of the ceremony on the internet if you so choose, music, champagne, chocolates, and more."

"It sounds perfect. If I call you back and let you know our arrival time, could you send a car for us at the airport?"

"Of course. Just let me know. I look forward to seeing you again in much happier circumstances, Carlos, as well as meeting your bride-to-be."

"Yes, much better circumstances. Thank you," I said before hanging up.

I tossed the phone to the table before pulling Stephanie on top of me completely.

"Babe, how would you like to fly to Vegas as soon as we can get ready?"

Stephanie leaned down and pressed her lips to mine in a quick, hard kiss, and then leaped off the bed, heading to the bathroom.

"Is that a yes?" I called out after her with a chuckle.

She got to the doorway and then froze. "Carlos," she said, turning around.

_Dios, _she was so gorgeous standing there in the sunlight coming in from the window, naked, her nipples hard and breasts so soft and round.

"What's wrong, Babe?" I asked, worried at her expression.

She walked back to the bed slowly. "Do you think we could call Julie and see if Rachel would let her fly to Vegas and meet us there? I'd like her to be there to stand up for us both."

My heart swelled once again. "I would love that, Babe. Thank you for thinking of it. You jump in the shower, and I'll call Rachel."

She leaned down to kiss me and then raced back to the bathroom. As soon as I heard the water turn on, I picked my phone back up and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Rachel's soft voice answered.

"Rachel, this is Ranger. How are you and your family?"

"Hello, Ranger. We're fine. It's early. Is something wrong? Julie's still asleep. Do you need me to wake her, or can you wait till later to talk to her?"

"I'm great, thank you. Actually, I called to speak with you first. I asked Stephanie to marry me last night, and she said yes."

"That's great! Congratulations," she said, sounding sincere.

Our relationship had been tense for years, until Julie was kidnapped, in fact. Since then, with Steph's presence in both mine and Julie's lives, it had mellowed out, and we were both genuinely happy for one another.

"Thank you," I said, smiling. "This morning, Stephanie asked if we could get married now. She doesn't want a big wedding and doesn't want to give her mother the opportunity to take the wedding plans and run with it. I have arranged with an associate of mine to have the ceremony tomorrow at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. The manager's daughter was kidnapped a few years ago, and when I found her, he said he owed me a big favor. I normally wouldn't have taken him up on it, but that's what Stephanie wants, so... Anyway, Stephanie just asked if we could have Julie fly out to meet us and stand up for us both. I told her I would check with you."

"Wow! After having met her mother, I understand why she wants to do it her way, but that's fast!" She laughed. "If Julie wants to come, I don't see why not. Will you send the plane for her?"

"Actually, the plane is here in Trenton, so we'll be using it. If you don't mind, I'll pay for her first class ticket and arrange it to have her arrive shortly after us so we are there to meet her plane," I said.

"That sounds great. Let me go wake her up so you can ask her. Congratulations again, Ranger. Please tell Stephanie I said that to her as well." The phone made a soft noise as she laid it on the counter when she went to wake up our daughter.

Steph walked back into into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around her body and another around her hair, just as Julie got on the phone.

I smiled at her as Julie said, "Hi, Ranger! Mom said you had a question for me." Her voice was rough with sleep.

"Hi, kiddo. Steph and I both do, actually." I motioned Stephanie over and turned on the speakerphone. "She's here with me, and you're on the speakerphone now."

"Hey, Steph!" Julie's excited voice boomed out over the speaker.

"Hi, sweetie! How are you?" Stephanie smiled. She loved Julie as if she were her own, I knew. It was one of the many reasons I loved her.

"I'm good. What did you want to ask me?"

Stephanie looked at me, and I nodded for her to go ahead. "Well, your father and I are flying to Las Vegas today to get married tomorrow."

Julie started squealing. Stephanie and I laughed, waiting for her to quiet down so she could continue.

"We'd like you to fly to Vegas and stand up for us both, if you're interested."

"Oh my gosh!" she cried. "Yes! I have go get ready and pack! Here, talk to Mom! Congratulations!" The phone was slammed to the counter, and we heard her fading happy shouts as she hurried away from the phone.

We heard fumbling, and I hit the speakerphone button as Steph moved away to get dressed.

"Ranger?" Rachel sounded hesitant.

I laughed. "Yes, I'm here. I think she was a bit excited."

"I'd say so! I'll go help her pack for a few days while you make her flight plans. Just call us back with details."

"Sounds good."

I hung up and called the number for the RangeMan plane. I made arrangements for us to head to Vegas later in the morning and got the number from them for the airline in Miami. After getting the flight scheduled, I called Rachel back.

"It's me," I said when she answered. "Julie is on the next flight to Vegas. It leaves in two hours and is about a five and a half hour direct flight. Our flight will take about six hours, so we will plan on leaving in an hour so we are there ahead of her."

"Sounds good. She'll be there," Rachel said.

"Thanks, Rachel. Tell Julie we'll see her in Vegas at the airport." I hung up, heading toward the bathroom.

"Babe, I'm going to jump in the shower. Can you pack my clothes for me? The tux I'll wear is in the hanging bag in the back of the closet. Pack for three days, just to be safe."

Stephanie suddenly looked panicked. "Carlos, what am I going to wear?"

I smiled and brushed my lips across hers. "Don't worry, Babe. There's a store right down the strip from the hotel that I'll send you and Julie to for dresses to wear to the ceremony and to dinner after."

She calmed down immediately. "Oooh, shopping! Julie will love that! Thank you."

"My pleasure, _querida_. Now, pack and finish getting ready. We need to leave in just under an hour to be there in time to meet Julie's plane."

Forty-five minutes later, I pulled to a stop at the airport and parked in the short-term parking. Grabbing our bags, Steph and I hurried to the private plane area and found the RangeMan jet. It had been fueled, and the pilot was sitting there reading a book as we climbed on board.

"Hello, Mr. Manoso. Ms. Plum. Congratulations," he told us as we made our way past him to our seats.

"Thank you! Please, call me Stephanie, or Steph," she said to him.

"All right, thank you, Steph. My name is Shane. If you guys need anything, just let me know. The flight should take about six hours." He smiled at Stephanie and shook my hand before heading to the cockpit.

I set our luggage down in the racks and then sat down on one of the long couches, pulling Steph down until she was lying between my legs, her back pressed against my chest. Once we had taken off, I hugged her tightly, brushed my lips across her neck, and said, "Sleep, Babe. I'll wake you shortly before we get there so you can freshen up, if you'd like."

She nodded, tilting her head back for a long kiss. Then she settled in against me, and within minutes, her breathing evened out and she fell into a peaceful slumber.

I set the alarm on my watch for five and a half hours and then called Tank. "Yo."

"Hey, taking off. Can you take one of the guys and come pick up the Cayenne from short-term parking at the airport?"

"Will do."

"Thanks," I said before hanging up.

I set my phone on the seat beside me and closed my eyes, intent on catching a few hours of sleep myself, knowing it would be a long couple of days.


	13. Chapter 13: Look Out Vegas

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 13: Look Out Las Vegas!  
Stephanie's POV**

Just over six hours later, we were sitting in the airport, waiting for Julie's plane, which was scheduled to land in another half hour. Ranger had one arm around my shoulder, and his other hand held mine, his fingers twisting the engagement ring on my finger around and around, constantly. He was staring off somewhere out the window, and I'm not even sure he was aware of what he was doing.

I let my mind drift back to the plane ride.

~oOo~

_"Babe, wake up. We have about half an hour until we land. Wake up, Stephanie." Ranger's voice was calm and quiet, trying to cajole me out of my slumber._

_"Ten minutes," I mumbled sleepily._

_"No can do, Babe. Get up, or I'll be forced to make you get up." The tone of his voice left no room for doubt, and even though I knew he'd never hurt me, I still didn't think I'd want to find out how he'd make me do something like that._

~oOo~

I smiled to myself, remembering how he did finally end up getting me up and awake. Turning my hand over, I moved my fingers and intertwined them with Ranger's. He broke out of his far-away stare long enough to glance at me and brush a soft kiss across my lips before turning back to the window. I let my mind drift again to the hour before.

~oOo~

_"No, go 'way. I'm comfortable," I grumbled, burying my face back in his neck._

_"Babe, if you get up now, you'll have time to get freshened up and have the two Boston Cremes that are sitting in a bag in the kitchen."_

_My eyes flew open, and I nearly launched myself off his lap. "Donuts? Really? Thank you, thank you!" I pressed kiss after kiss on his neck and cheek, finally making my way to his soft, full lips._

_He laughed after I released him. "You're welcome, Babe. Now, go get ready to land so you can eat before we have to get off the plane."_

~oOo~

I smiled and licked my lips. I could still taste the faint sweetness from the donuts. Time flew by, and soon, we saw a plane taxiing up to the gate where we were sitting. I gently squeezed Ranger's hand with mine and then stood up to go wait closer to the exit door.

He glanced at me as I tugged on his hand and stood up. His eyes lit up when he finally saw the plane stopping at the gate.

"C'mon, Batman. Let's go wait for your daughter over there."

Smiling, he let me lead him over to the place I had pointed. Once we had gotten in place, he opened his phone to call the hotel to get the car sent to us.

Five minutes later, passengers started streaming through the doors. A blur of light mocha-latte skin and dark hair suddenly came flying through the doorway and into our arms, nearly bowling us over.

"Ranger! Steph!" Julie cried as she launched herself at us.

"_Hija_, look at you! You've gotten so big," Ranger said, shaking his head and smiling down at the miniature, female version of himself.

I had to laugh when I saw Julie's outfit. She was truly the mini-Ranger today. Black cargoes, stretchy black T-shirt, black boots... The only concession to being a pre-teen girl were the bright green socks and matching belt and baseball cap.

"Hi, kiddo," I said, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her close. "We're glad you're here."

"I am, too! I'm so excited! I knew you would get married back when Chuck had us—" her voice faltered for a minute and then picked right back up "—but mom said not to hold my breath. I'm so glad I was right! Where are we going first? Are you really getting married in a hotel? Which one? Steph, is your dress pretty?" She finally stopped throwing questions at us when she had to take a breath.

"Jules, kiddo, breathe!" I laughed. "We're going to the hotel first to check in, and then I believe you and I have some shopping to do. We both need to buy new dresses for the wedding and dinner, don't we?" I smiled down at her, tugging her ponytail. "We're getting married at the Bellagio, but aside from that, your dad won't tell me anything."

She grinned. "The Bellagio? That's so cool! Wait'll I tell my friends!" She paused. "That _is_ okay, right? That I tell my friends you got married in Las Vegas at the Bellagio?" She glanced at Ranger with a worried expression.

His eyes softened even further, but I saw a quick flash of pain behind his eyes before he could mask it. I knew he was feeling guilty about the necessity of Julie's question. Reaching down and taking his hand, I squeezed it gently, letting him know everything was okay and he shouldn't worry.

He smiled softly at me and then turned to Julie. "Of course it's okay," he said. "But let's wait until after we get married. Then, if you'd like to call them, you can. Sound good?"

She nodded, looking pleased. "Let's go, then! I only have this bag," she told us, nodding at the large carry-on Ranger had taken from her, "so I'm ready!"

We walked the long distance to the airport doors, Julie between us, holding both our hands and swinging our arms back and forth. When we got outside, we saw a long, black limo parked at the curb. The man standing beside it was holding a sign that read, _Carlos Manoso._

"Dad! They sent a limo! How cool is that!" Julie was excited once again, straining at the hold we had on her hands.

Ranger took a quick glance around and then nodded silently at me. We let go of her hands, and she ran over to the limo, peering into the window.

"Can I get in?" she asked excitedly.

The man with the sign smiled. "Of course!" He opened the door for her and let her climb in. We reached the car, and he turned his smile to us. "Mr. Manoso, I presume?"

Ranger nodded.

"Welcome to Las Vegas! My name is Paul. If you'd like, I can take the bags and store them in the back."

"That would be great, thank you." He set Julie's bag and our three down and then helped me in. He watched as the man loaded our luggage and the hanging bag carrying his suit into the back of the car and then climbed in after me.

"Next stop, the Bellagio!" Paul's voice boomed from the front seat, causing Julie to giggle. "It won't take too long to get there. Let me know if I can help you with anything in the meantime," he said before pulling away from the curb.

We spent the few minutes of the trip listening to Julie talk about what had been going on at home and school since the last time we'd seen her. She told us about track, getting an A on her last math test, and the sleepover she'd attended the week before.

"It was so much fun! We put shaving cream on Tiffany's face because she was the first one to fall asleep."

I laughed, remembering back to my sleepovers as a kid. Shaving cream on faces, panties in the freezer, prank phone calls... Ahh, Mary Lou and I'd had some great times back then.

Finally, we pulled up in front of the hotel, and when we climbed out, Julie looked around in awe. The famous fountains were shooting up into the air off to the side, and the hotel towered above us.

"That's _huge_," said Julie. "Can we go look closer at that while we're here?"

"I'll make sure of it," Ranger promised. "Let's go get checked in."

We went inside, and Ranger told the lady at the check-in counter his name and asked to speak to Christopher James.

We stood just off to the side until Mr. James walked out. "Carlos! It's good to see you again."

Ranger shook his hand. "Chris, this is my fiance, Ms. Stephanie Plum, and my daughter, Julie."

I smiled and shook Chris's hand as Julie said hello.

"Well, let's get you checked in, and then I'll sit down with you and go over your schedule. How's that sound?"

We all nodded, so he moved back around the desk to one of the computers. Three minutes later, he used his keys to unlock a drawer and then pulled out three keycards.

"These are the keys to your suite. If you'd like, you can leave your luggage right here, and Ted, one of our best luggage handlers, will make sure they get up to your room." He gestured to a young man waiting slightly off to the side, who came over with a cart and began to load the luggage.

"Thank you," I told him, smiling.

I took Ranger's arm and started down the hall toward the elevators. Chris, Julie, and Ted with our luggage followed along in our wake. We got into the first open elevator, and Chris punched the third button from the top. The ride took several minutes to make it up to our floor, and when we reached the right one, Chris led the way down the hall to our suite.

Using his master key, he opened the door, ushering us inside before coming in behind everyone. Ted unloaded our luggage from the cart in the living area and quickly left the room after thanking Ranger for the tip he'd handed the young man.

"This is one of our best suites. Off to the left is the smaller bedroom. Attached is a bathroom that also has a door from the living area for guests. To the right is the larger master bedroom. Attached to it is the master bath, which comes with a whirlpool spa tub and separate shower with steam option. There is a small kitchenette off to the side here," he said, pointing just off to the side from where were were standing, "with a fridge, small stove, and sink. Feel free to cook in, eat at one of the restaurants here in the hotel, at my expense, or find one of the many great restaurants around town. If there is anything you need, you can call the front desk or simply get ahold of me directly by dialing extension three-one-five."

Julie grabbed her bag and ran off to check out her room. "Ranger, I'm going to call Mom and let her know we got here."

Ranger nodded. "Okay, Jules, sounds good. Come out when you're off the phone if you'd like, or check out what's on TV." He led me to the couch and sat down, pulling me down on his lap. "So Chris, what's the plan?"

Chris took a seat in one of the chairs and pulled out the folder he had brought up with him. "The three of you are scheduled for your spa treatments tomorrow morning at nine, which should take about two hours, so you'll have time to shop today. It's one o'clock now, so feel free to get some lunch, and then I have a list of boutiques you can visit for dresses and shoes for the two lovely ladies. After the spa treatments tomorrow morning, you'll have time for a light lunch, and then Stephanie and Julie have appointments to get their hair and makeup done at one o'clock. The ceremony is scheduled for three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. After the ceremony, I booked a special dinner for the three of you at one of our restaurants here in the hotel. How does that sound?"

I was in awe. Ranger and Chris had certainly covered all the bases!

Ranger looked at me, and I smiled and turned to Chris. "It sounds fantastic. Thank you so much for putting this together so quickly for us," I told him sincerely.

Ranger tightened his arms around me, squeezing me gently.

"It was my pleasure," he said. "I can't do enough to repay Carlos for bringing my daughter home. I'm more than happy to help with whatever I can. Now, I'm going to go get some work done, and you three relax. Get some lunch and then go shopping. Enjoy Las Vegas today! I'll see you tomorrow. Remember to give me a call if you need anything. Paul will be your driver the entire time you're here, so just call the front desk and ask for him if you need him." He stood up, shook our hands, and then left, leaving us alone in the living room.

I leaned into Ranger, my lips brushing across the cords in his neck, causing him to growl softly.

"Babe," he said in a low, husky voice.

My lips moved up to his, and I kissed him softly until my stomach reminded us loudly that it was past lunchtime. I stood up and took his hand. "C'mon, Batman. Let's get Batgirl and go find something to eat so she and I can go shopping."

Ranger laughed as I pulled him to Julie's room, knocking once on the door.

"Come in," she called over the noise from the TV.

"Hey, Jules," I said as we opened the door and walked in a few steps. "Ready to get some lunch?"

She jumped off the bed. "Finally! My stomach has been growling since we got here!"

_Ahh, a girl after my own heart_, I thought, chuckling to myself.

"I thought we'd eat at the buffet here in the hotel for lunch. They should have something we'll all like," Ranger said, smiling down at me.

Julie and I looked at each other and nodded. "Sounds great to me!" We laughed when we both answered the same thing at the same time.

We got seated at the restaurant and ordered our drinks. "Go ahead and get your food," the waiter said. "I'll bring your drinks right out.

We all traipsed up to the buffet, filling our plates with everything from pizza to fish. We spent an hour talking, laughing, and eating. Julie and I both made three trips through the line, but Ranger stopped at two. We listened to Julie tell stories about her friends, and then we told her what was going on at home with the Merry Men at RangeMan and Lula and Connie at the bonds office. She even managaed to strike up a conversation with the people in the booth behind us, the teenage girl in her coming out once again.

After the great lunch, we stopped by the front desk and asked them to call Paul.

Once Ranger had us seated in the limo, he made sure I had my gun, cell phone, and credit card. "Call me if you need me, Babe. Julie, mind Stephanie. Have a good time, ladies. Give me a call when you are heading back to the hotel, and I'll meet you down here, okay?" He kissed Julie on the cheek, drew me to him for a long kiss goodbye, and then stepped out to watch us leave.

I knew he was going to go up and call Tank and check in at RangeMan, but I was sure Tank was on the ball. Hopefully that would mean Julie and I wouldn't be the only two on the trip to enjoy some relaxation and fun.


	14. Chapter 14: Finding the Perfect One

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 14: Finding the Perfect One  
Stephanie's POV**

Julie and I looked at the list of places Chris had suggested and directed Paul to David's Bridal, not far from the hotel.

"Here's my card," he said, handing it to me as he let us out. "Just give me a call when you're ready, and I'll bring the car around for you."

"Thanks," I said, smiling at him.

I took Julie's hand, and we walked into the store, almost shaking with excitement.

"What kind of dress do you think you want, Steph?" Julie asked me, her eyes wide as she took in the hundreds of dresses around the store.

"I had a huge, puffy dress when I married my first husband," I told her. "I want something simple yet beautiful this time. I wear a size six, so if you want to look over here and I'll start over there, just shout if you find something you think I'll like, okay?"

"Sounds great!" Julie said as she started looking through the dresses in front of us.

I moved over to the far wall to begin looking.

Fifteen minutes later, Julie's voice called out, "Steph! I found it! Come here!"

I quickly looked around and found her near the back. She was holding up an absolutely beautiful gown. It was a chiffon, A-line gown, with an empire waist, pleated bust, beaded spaghetti straps, and a beaded, embroidered illusion back. You would be able to see through to my skin on my back, but it wouldn't be bare because of the beaded embroidery. It was cut low but modestly in front, and with my fairly small chest, I would be okay without a bra. It was ivory, which was better than white since it wasn't my first marriage.

"Julie, it's gorgeous! I'll have to try it on!"

She was already headed away from me to grab one of the salesladies.

"Hello, this little one tells me you'd like to try that dress on?" a perky blonde asked.

I nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Follow me." She turned and walked quickly over to the dressing rooms in the back. Directing us to the dressing area, she hung the gown in one of the small rooms and pointed Julie to a seat out in the main curtained off area. "You can sit here and wait for your mom."

Julie and I looked at each other and smiled, and then I closed the curtain and pulled off my clothes, leaving only my panties on. Looking in the mirror, I nearly laughed aloud. I'd have to buy some white panties because the black ones I had on were showing through! "Okay, Jules. Here I come!"

I stepped out and went to stand on the little stage area they had set up, surrounded by mirrors on nearly every side.

Julie took one look at me and burst into tears.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" I asked, ready to rush over and hug her.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just so pretty. It's perfect."

I smiled. "Thank you, honey. That's very sweet."

I looked in the mirrors, turning as much as I could to see every part of the dress. It _was_ perfect. The length was just right, the bust fit me perfectly. The waist emphasized my slender waistline, and the A-line of the dress hid my flaws beautifully.

The saleslady came back into the room and said, "Wow, that's beautiful! Do you like it?"

"I love it so much, I'll take it. Can you show me some headwear? I want something simple to match the dress."

"Sure, just come with me," she said, helping me down the step and leading us out the curtain to the veil and train section of the store. "Are you thinking a full veil or something less complicated?"

"Something less complicated, definitely."

We began looking through their selection. I finally found a set of combs for my hair that would go perfectly with the dress. They had a cluster of pearls and Swarovski rhinestone crystals along the top and would do well to help keep my hair out of my face during the ceremony.

"Pretty, Steph!" Julie took them from my hand. "I'm buying these. My mom gave me her credit card. I asked if I could buy you something from both of us to congratulate you."

I nearly cried. "Julie, that's so sweet. Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'm sure. I'm so glad you're going to be my stepmom."

Hugging her, tears finally fell silently down my cheeks. "I'm glad, too, honey. Thank you. Now, let's find some shoes to go with this gorgeous dress."

We walked over to the shoes, and it took me no time at all to pick out the pair I wanted. It was a dyeable sandal with rhinestones on the strap. They had a three-inch heel, and I spotted a pair of already-dyed ivory in my size that I snagged. I asked the saleslady for a pair of footsies, and once I had them on, I strapped on the sandals.

"Perfect fit," I said, smiling at Julie. "What do you think, kiddo? Do they go well?"

"They're great, Steph. I wish I could wear high heels," she said, sighing.

I laughed. "Someday soon, I'm sure, sweetie. Let me change clothes, and then we'll find something for you, okay?"

She nodded. As soon as I had changed back into my regular clothes, I handed the saleslady the dress, shoes, and hair combs, and then led Julie to the Junior Bridesmaid section. Her dress was much easier to find.

"Jules, what about this one?" I asked. It was similar to mine, made out of crinkle chiffon, and was an A-line with beaded bust. The back was elastic, which meant it should fit around her chest fairly well. It was a dark red and sleeveless, and the length would almost hit the floor, although Julie was a little tall, so it might hit her more mid-calf.

"That's really pretty!" Julie squealed. "Can I try it on?" she asked excitedly. When I nodded, she took it from my hand and turned to head to the dressing rooms.

"I'll be right there. I'm going to find you some shoes," I called.

Heading back to the shoes, I found the perfect pair. I quickly called Rachel.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Rachel. This is Stephanie. Julie and I are shopping for dresses. She's trying hers on, and I wanted to grab her some shoes. What size does she wear, and is it okay if I get her some small heels? She mentioned wanting to wear heels."

"Just use your best judgement on the heels. She's never worn them, but I'd have no objection if you find some low ones that she would like," Rachel said. After giving me Julie's shoe size, she added, "Congratulations, Stephanie. I'm happy that Ranger has found someone that loves not only him but also loves our daughter. Thank you."

I nearly teared up again. "My pleasure, Rachel. Thank you for letting her come with us."

After we hung up, I grabbed the shoes and went quickly to find the saleslady.

"How fast can we get these dyed to match the red dress she's trying on right now? Her father and I are getting married tomorrow afternoon over at the Bellagio."

"Let me look at the list." She turned to look at some papers on the desk. "Okay, it looks like for those, we only need about four hours, so if you buy them now, you can pick them up tomorrow morning, and they'll be ready."

"Great, thanks! I'll take them so she can make sure they fit, and then I'll leave them with you." I went back to the dressing room just as Julie was coming out to the main area. "Jules, here are the shoes I found. I okayed it with your mom about the heels, if you'd like to wear them. We can get them dyed to match the dress and pick them up in the morning."

She squealed. "They're so pretty! Look at the pearls! They look like your hair combs!"

I nodded and smiled before bending over and helping her slip her feet in, buckling them well so they wouldn't cause her to trip.

She stood up on the stage and turned in a slow circle. "What do you think?" she asked.

"It's perfect," I said, smiling at her. "Stand still. I want to send a picture to your mom and Ranger."

I took out my phone and snapped a photo of her waist up. I quickly sent it to Ranger and then Rachel before putting the phone back in my purse.

"I don't think it even needs hemmed. Change clothes, and I'll go pay while you finish dressing."

She handed me the dress and shoes, and I walked to the checkout counter. Dropping them off, I held up a finger. "Give me a second."

I quickly went to the jewelry counter and picked out the bracelet I'd seen as I walked by. Hurrying back to the other counter, I said, "I'd like this wrapped and hidden, please. It's going to be a surprise."

I left it with her while I quickly went to pick out some white panties and some thigh-highs to go with my dress and then headed back to the checkout counter.

The woman behind the counter added the bracelet, both dresses, shoes, and my lingerie to my card, and by the time I had signed the slip, Julie was there, dressed and ready to buy the hair combs. The lady called Rachel to verify the charge as I called Paul.

"Hi, Paul. Give us two minutes, and we'll be ready to go back to the hotel," I told him.

He said he'd be in front for us when we were ready, and I hung up in time to see Julie sign the charge slip.

"Ready to go, kiddo?" When she nodded, I grabbed the bags, and we walked out to the waiting limo. I looked at my watch after I got in and saw that we'd been shopping for three hours!

"How about we get back to the room and relax for a few minutes with your dad before taking a walk on the Strip?" I asked.

"That would be great," she told me, smiling.

I picked up the phone and called Ranger.

"Yo," he answered.

"Yo yourself. We're on our way back. Should be about five minutes." I smiled when I heard him click off the TV. _Good, he's been relaxing._

"Meet you downstairs, Babe," he said before hanging up.

I shook my head. Chuckling to myself, I realized that I was never going to get him to learn better phone manners.

"What's funny, Steph?" Julie asked, tilting her head in a way that reminded me very much of her father.

"Just thinking about how much his phone manners absolutely stink."

She laughed, knowing exactly what I meant. "Maybe that will change after you guys get married tomorrow," she suggested. We looked at each other and then burst out laughing. "Or not."

"Oh well," I said. "I guess that's something I can live with."

I smiled as we pulled up to the front of the hotel and saw Ranger standing with his back against the wall, legs out and crossed together at the ankles, arms crossed against his chest. He looked dark and mysterious, not to mention incredibly sexy. I felt a flash of heat when I saw him uncross his arms and flex his fingers. I knew what those fingers were capable of, and just the thought of them sliding into me nearly pushed me over the edge of an orgasm.

_Get a grip, Steph. The man's pre-teen daughter is sitting two feet from you_, I chided myself.

Paul stopped the limo, and before he could even get out, Ranger had the door open and Julie was stepping out. "Babe, hand me your bags," he said, poking his head in and looking around.

I handed him the bags, and he switched them to his other hand so he could help me out of the car.

"Paul, we'll call if we need you again tonight, but I think we'll probably just walk the Strip." He smiled at us and then looked quickly back at the car. "Thanks for taking care of my girls."

Paul smiled and nodded before pulling away from the curb.

"Come on, Ranger, Steph! I need to use the bathroom, and I want to call Mom and tell her about my dress and shoes before we do anything else." Julie's voice was eager as she grabbed ahold of my hand and tugged me forward.

We made our way up to the suite, and Julie ran into her room, shutting the door behind her.

"Babe, wanna show me what you bought?" Ranger stood beside the couch I had flopped down onto, holding the bags. He set them down on the table in front of me, carefully draping the two dress bags across the back of the couch so as not to wrinkle them.

"Not my dress, and I'll let Julie show you hers. But I did buy her a surprise as a 'thank you for coming and standing up for us' gift."

I took one of the bags from him and dug out the smallest box. Opening it, I pulled out the silver charm bracelet. It had a toggle clasp and only one charm. The silver heart was shiny and beautiful and made a perfect charm to represent our love for Julie and our love for each other, as well as our marriage.

"It's perfect, Babe. She'll love it," Ranger said, dropping onto the couch beside me and gathering me into his arms.

I smiled as I placed it back in the box and put the box back in the bag.

We sat snuggled in each other's arms for a few minutes until Julie came bouncing out of her room.

"Mom says our dresses and shoes sound great, Steph! Ranger, want to see my dress?" At his nod, she pulled it out of the bag, showing how well the red went with her skintone, how soft the matieral was, and her favorite part, the intricately beaded front.

"Wait till you see it on her," I said, smiling softly. "She looks so grown up, it's scary."

He took my hand in his and squeezed, rubbing his thumb across the top of my hand gently.

Julie put the dress back in the bag and dropped down into the chair across from us, sitting sideways, her legs hanging off one arm of the chair. "So what's up for the rest of the day?"

I looked at Ranger, deferring to whatever plans he had made. "I thought we'd walk the Strip a little bit this afternoon, taking in the sights. After that, would you like to see 'O,' the Cirque du Soleil show? I've heard great things about it. It's supposed to be fantastic."

I grinned and then looked at Julie. "What do you think, kiddo? You up for some acrobats and stage action?"

She was so excited that she was nearly bouncing off her seat. "Yes! That's so cool! My friend Jessica has seen that, and she thought it was the coolest thing ever! I can't wait to tell her about it when I get back! When can we go?" She looked pleadingly at Ranger.

Ranger laughed. "We can go anytime you guys are ready."

She jumped up and ran to pull her sneakers back on and then ran back into the living room. "I'm ready. Let's go." When neither of us moved, she frowned. "C'mon, Steph!"

I stood up, laughing, and pulled Ranger with me. "Why don't we call Paul and see if he can drop us down at the end of the Strip, and then we can make our way back here on foot?"

"Smart idea, Babe. Let me call the front desk."

"Don't bother," I said, chuckling. I pulled the card he'd given me out of my pocket and grabbed Ranger's cell from his belt. "This is an intergalactic emergency. I need to commandeer a vehicle. Who's in charge here?"

Ranger laughed and grabbed the phone from my hand. "Hey, Paul, it's Carlos. Could you come by, pick us up, and then drop us off down the Strip?"

"Sure, where do you want to be let off? Right at the south end?" Paul asked.

"Yes, Mandalay Bay would be great. See you in a couple minutes, then?"

"I'm just at the bar, watching the game, so I'll go right out and get the car. Meet you guys out front."

Ranger hung up the phone and stuck it back on his belt. "All set. Let's go," he told us.

We walked out of the room, making sure we all had our room keys and cell phones.

"Before we go any farther, Julie, please put this in your pocket. It's a panic button with a built-in GPS linked directly to RangeMan. I doubt we'll need it, but I didn't bring anyone with us this trip, so this would give me a bit of peace of mind. Babe, I'm not going to force you to wear one, but please, think about it for me?"

I looked at the love in his eyes and realized there was no way I was going to tell him no. I held out my hand. "Give it here. I know me and my uncanny ability for getting into trouble. Better safe than sorry, right?"

He relaxed a great deal and then took our hands, leading us to the elevator. We rode down in comfortable silence, excited about seeing some of the sights before taking in a great show. When we walked out the front doors, Paul was just pulling up in the limo. He hopped out and opened the door for us. We climbed in and settled back for the short ride.

When he pulled to the curb and parked, I said, "Thanks, Paul. We're just going to walk back and will be in the hotel the rest of the night."

"Enjoy," he said as he pulled away.

Ranger took Julie's hand in one of his and mine in his other, and we started moving. We walked the just under two miles slowly, taking our time and enjoying everything. Julie and I were fascinated by the New York New York, and laughing, I had to steer Ranger away from the Hooters Casino Hotel.

Grinning, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Babe, I wouldn't _really_ want to go in there to see a possible stripper. Or twins." He sighed wistfully. "Yeah, that's it. Twins."

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso, if I have to handcuff you and get you tattooed with 'Property of Stephanie Michelle Manoso,' I will! Besides, it's more likely you'd see a cross-dresser instead of a stripper!" I giggled when he got a pretend horrified look on his face.

Julie laughed and pulled on our hands. "C'mon, you guys, we have so much to see!"

Ranger leaned down and gave her a quick kiss to the top of her head and a slightly longer one to my lips before walking on.

We spent a total of thirty minutes just walking and relaxing before getting back to our hotel.

"Let's go back up to the room and get ready for the show," Ranger said. "We need to be there about thirty minutes before showtime, so we have about an hour to get ready."

We stopped and picked up tickets for the show that Ranger had ordered and had delivered to the front desk and then hurried up to the room.

When we reached the room, we split up. Ranger went back to the couch to read while Julie and I went to our rooms to shower and change clothes. I had just finished in the shower and was pulling the clothes out of my suitcase that I wanted to wear when there was a knock on the door.

"Steph? Can I come in?" Julie asked.

"Sure," I called out, pulling the robe a bit tighter.

Julie walked in wearing a similar robe.

"What's up, sweetie?"

"What are you wearing tonight? I can't decide."

I held up the black, knit dress I was planning to wear. "Nothing fancy, Jules. If you have a casual dress, or skirt and blouse, that would be good. Or just some slacks and a shirt."

"Okay, thanks. My mom packed one of my dresses that isn't too fancy, so I'll wear it. Can you help me put on a little bit of makeup?"

I thought for a minute, not sure if Ranger would want her wearing makeup. "Sure, we can put on a little bit," I finally said. "Go get dressed and then come back in here."

Once Julie shut the bedroom door, I pulled off the towels and put on some new, sexy lingerie I'd brought with me on the trip before pulling my dress over my head. It fell to my knees and had a sweetheart neckline. I added the jewelry Ranger had given me a few days before.

"You look beautiful, Babe."

I jumped about three feet into the air, hand pressed to my heart as it felt like it was about to beat out of my chest.

"Geez! Make some noise, wouldja? You scared me! And yeah, yeah, I know. I need to be more aware, blah blah." I rolled my eyes as he laughed.

"I'm going to take a shower now. Be out in a minute." He swept my damp curls to the side and brushed his lips across the back of my neck in a soft, tender kiss before grabbing his clean clothes and shutting the door to the bathroom.

I had just finished drying my hair and placing part of it up in a clip to keep it out of my face when Julie walked back into the room. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, looking very much like Ranger's.

"That dress is perfect, sweetie," I told her honestly. It was a dark blue with an empire waist, fell to just above her knees, and she'd paired it with a pair of black flats.

"Let me do my own makeup quickly, and then I'll help with yours, okay?"

She nodded and sat on the extra stool in the dressing area to watch. I decided to go light on everything, even the mascara since I wasn't in the need for courage tonight. It only took me a couple of minutes to add some concealer, powder, blush, eyeshadow, and one coat of mascara. I added some lipstick and gloss before motioning Julie over.

Ranger walked out of the bathroom just as I was brushing on a light layer of powder. He glanced at me from behind Julie's shoulder, raising an eyebrow. I smiled softly, willing him to trust me. When he smiled and relaxed his shoulders, I knew he'd understood that I was going to be careful and not go overboard. He sat down on the edge of the bed to put his socks and shoes on and watched while I finished Julie's makeup.

After the powder, I added just a hint of light pink blush, some pale blue eyeshadow, and a coat of clear mascara. I looked through my bag and found the light pink lipstick, adding just a touch on her lips, before adding a coat of the gloss. When I finished, Julie looked natural, fresh, and absolutely right for a twelve-year-old.

"Okay, Jules, look in the mirror, and then show your dad," I told her, smiling.

She turned and gasped. "Wow! I look at least thirteen," she exclaimed. Turning around again, she looked at Ranger. "What do you think? Is it okay?" I could hear the pleading in her voice and knew from his expression that Ranger could, too.

He rose from the bed and came toward us, placing a careful kiss on the top of her head. "You look beautiful, Julie. I'm honored to have two lovely ladies accompany me to the show and to dinner after. Are you ladies ready?"

I finished pulling on my shoes and nodded. "Just let me grab my purse, and then we can go."

I walked to the bedside table and pulled out my gun, sliding it into the purse I'd picked up from the top. I added both mine and Julie's lipsticks and gloss and then held my hand out to take Julie's.

"Thanks, Steph. I love my makeup," she said, smiling at me.

I gave her hand a squeeze and nodded. We all left the room, relaxed and happy, ready to be entertained.

Thirty minutes later, we were in our seats, and the lights were dimming. Two and a half hours after that, the lights came back up, and the three of us were on our feet, clapping along with the rest of the crowd.

"That was so cool!" Julie exclaimed. "My favorite part had to be the..."

I let my mind drift as Julie talked, thinking about tomorrow. It was going to be a big day, and I was starting to get butterflies. Almost as if he knew what I was thinking—_stupid ESP_, I thought to myself—Ranger took ahold of my hand, squeezing softly. He brought it to his lips as we walked along to the restaurant, kissing it gently while never taking his eyes or attention off Julie.

We decided to go to Noodles for dinner. "My friend said this is where she and her family went after seeing the show, and they all liked it a lot," she said, steering us in that direction.

Once we were seated, the waiter came up to take our order. "I want the Signature Soya Chicken and a water," Julie said.

I ordered the Barbecue Pork and a Corona with lime and then turned to Ranger.

"I'll have the Abalone with mushrooms and a Corona, also with lime. We'll also take the Steamed Potstickers for a starter," he told the waiter, who wrote down our order, smiled, and then hurried away.

We talked until our food arrived, and then talked some more while we ate. I told Julie the story about Lester and Bobby playing a practical joke on Tank a few weeks before and about what Tank was planning in retaliation.

"I miss you and all the guys," Julie said with a sigh. "I wish I could come visit more often."

Ranger looked at me with a sad expression on his face. "We miss you, too, Julie," he said. "How about I talked to your mom and Ron when we get home about having you come out on your next school break? That isn't too long, right?"

"That would be great, yeah! Thanks!"

When we were all finished, we headed back to the elevator and up to our suite.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted," I told them. "Julie, are you ready for bed, sweetie?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm going go wash my face, brush my teeth, and change into pajamas. Then I'm going to read a book I need for school. Good night!" She leaned up and hugged me and then turned and hugged Ranger, brushing a quick kiss across his cheek. "Thanks for asking me to come, Dad."

He squeezed her shoulders and said, "Thank you for being so happy for us and for wanting to be here. Get some sleep. We'll wake you in the morning. Come wake us up if you need us tonight."

We watched her walk into her bedroom, and once her door shut, Ranger pulled me to him. "My soon-to-be-wife, why don't we follow Julie's example and head to bed? It's going to be an early morning and long day tomorrow."

I smiled and nodded. "Sounds good," I said, yawning.

We walked slowly to the bedroom, Ranger's arm around my waist and my head on his shoulder. I grabbed the black T-shirt I'd stolen from him before we left Trenton and walked into the bathroom. I stripped off my clothes and took care of necessities and then pulled on the shirt.

Opening the door so Ranger knew it was free, I made my way out the other door to the sink and washed my face quickly. Since I hadn't worn much makeup, it was a quick task, and before I knew it, I was cuddled under the blankets, my eyelids growing heavy.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

I finished in the bathroom, pulling on the red silk boxers Stephanie had bought me for my birthday, and then moved out to the sink. I washed my hands and splashed cold water on my face before pulling my hair out of the leather tie currently holding it in a ponytail at the base of my neck.

I walked into the bedroom and slid under the covers after setting the alarm on my watch. Wrapping my arm around Stephanie, I pulled her close. She was barely awake, her breathing very even and soft.

"_Te quiero,_ Babe," I whispered.

Her breathing hitched, and then she mumbled back, "I love you, too, Carlos. Good night," before falling asleep.

I laid my head down on the pillow beside hers, and within minutes, I felt myself falling asleep, too.


	15. Chapter 15: Spa Time!

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 15: Spa Time!  
Stephanie's POV**

I woke up to the feeling of lips placing feather-light kisses along my cheek and down my collarbone. I yawned and turned over, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.

"C'mon, Babe. Time to get up," a husky voice murmured into my ear.

"Go 'way," I said into my pillow. "Too early."

"Babe, we have spa appointments in an hour. I ordered room service for breakfast, so it should be here any minute. You need to get up and take a quick shower before it gets here. I'm going to go wake up Julie."

I _still_ didn't stir.

"Do you not want to get married today, Babe?" Ranger's voice was playful.

I shot up, barely missing his nose with my head in my haste to sit up. "I'm up!" I smiled at him, leaning over to kiss him hard. "Of course I want to get married today, you goof!"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Goof? Maybe. But you still love me."

I laughed. "Of course I do. Now scoot so I can get ready."

He smiled and kissed me once more before heading out of the room to wake up his daughter. I jumped up and pulled out a pair of gray cotton yoga pants and a light yellow tank top. I'd wear those to the spa since I'd probably have to undress to get the massage anyway. No need to wear something fancy.

Once I'd showered, I made my way to the living room just as Ranger and Julie were taking stock of everything on the room service cart.

"Oh good, you're here!" exclaimed Julie. "Ranger ordered us the good stuff, not just the tree bark he likes to eat."

She and I laughed together as Ranger shook his head when I picked up a slice of bacon and popped a bit into my mouth. "Babe, that stuff'll kill you."

Julie and I looked at each other, turned to him, and said at the same time, "But at least we'll die happy!"

We laughed as we finished removing covers from the dishes. I was extremely pleased to see not only scrambled eggs but sausage and bacon, toast, hashbrowns, and a huge stack of Belgian waffles.

Ranger handed us each an empty plate and began loading his own plate up with some fresh fruit and a bowl of oatmeal he'd already placed on his side of the table. While we ate, we talked about what spa treatments we would each get. As soon as we were finished eating, we looked at the clock and realized it was time to head downstairs.

Right at nine, we entered the spa and were greeted by a gorgeous young man named Jeff. "Hello! Welcome the Bellagio Spa and Salon. Do you have an appointment?"

"We do," Ranger told him. "Manoso."

"Oh yes, I see that you are getting married this afternoon. Congratulations!" Ranger and I smiled and nodded as he continued. "I have the two of you signed up for the Couples Massage while the little lady here gets to do a private yoga session with Jamie, which will end with an aromatherapy massage of the neck, shoulders, and temples. Then you," he said, pointing to Ranger, "and she will relax with some tea while you wait for your _fiancée_."

Then he looked at me and said, "After your massage, you are signed up for the Spa Signature Sampler Treatment. You will get a full body exfoliation treatment to soften and smoothe the body. It also includes a mini facial to refresh, hydrate, and nourish your skin. How does all that sound?"

"Sounds great!" I told him, smiling at Ranger and Julie. "Jules, call if you need us. We both have our cell phones. Enjoy your yoga!"

Ranger gave her a quick kiss, and then Jeff led her off to take her to Jamie.

"Lana will be here in just a minute to take you guys back to the masage room. Just relax until then," Jeff called to us.

Two minutes later, a petite young woman walked up to us and said, "Carlos Manoso and Stephanie Plum?"

We nodded.

"My name is Lana. Follow me. I'll be your masseuse, Carlos. Stephanie, Wesley will be massaging you. If either of you are uncomfortable with that, we can also switch."

Ranger and I looked at each other and shrugged. "I think we'll be fine," I told her, smiling.

She led us into a small but spacious room, filled with warm colors and wonderful, relaxing fragrances. There were two massage tables set up near one another in the middle of the room. The lights were dimmed, and candles and incense were lit around the outside of the room.

"Once I leave the room, take your clothes off, leaving on your underwear if you feel the need to. Some people do, some don't. Totally up to you. Stephanie, feel free to leave your bra on as well, if you'd like. It makes it a little more difficult and not quite as comfortable, but we're able to work around the straps and band. You can then flip the switch by the door to let us know you're ready and slip under the sheets on the tables, lying on your stomachs. See you in a few minutes," she called as she stepped out of the room, closing the door.

"Well, Babe. Clothes or no clothes?" Ranger's eyes were dark, and I knew he was thinking naughty thoughts about me with no clothes on.

"I don't know..." I said, grinning. "I'm thinking no clothes. But can you handle that?"

"I can handle anything you throw at me, Babe." He chuckled. "No clothes it is."

We stripped, setting our clothes carefully on the chairs to the side of the room. He waited until I was lying on the table and covered before he flipped the switch and then hurried to get under his sheet on the table.

Three minutes later, Lana and an extremely sexy, well-built man a few years younger than I was walked into the room. "Stephanie, Carlos, this is Wesley. It looks like you guys are ready. Would you like some music on?"

I lifted my head and looked at Ranger. He raised an eyebrow and shoulder, letting me know it was my decision. "Sure," I said.

Lana clicked a few buttons, and suddenly, some soft, classical music was coming out over a hidden speaker in the room.

For the next fifty minutes, our bodies were oiled and rubbed by expert hands until we were both loose and even more relaxed. I would never tell Ranger, but Wesley's hands were like magic on my body. His fingers worked my muscles like he knew exactly what I wanted, how hard and how long. I knew I moaned several times, and every time I moaned, his fingers stilled for a split second before continuing. It was heavenly.

Our fifty minutes were up way too soon, and after thanking us for coming in, Wesley said, "You can shower off and get dressed." He pointed to the shower in the corner. "Just leave the door open when you come out. Carlos, you can head back to the front desk, and they will direct you to your daughter. Stephanie, turn left when you leave the room. Your next treatment is in the first door on your right. Enjoy!" He made sure the lightswitch was flipped to the off position and closed the door behind him as he left the room.

"Mmm, Carlos. That was nice. We may have to do that again sometime," I said, sliding off the table and into his arms.

"I agree, Babe. I'll just have to remember how much you enjoyed it and do it more often at home." He smiled, pulling me close for a quick kiss. "Okay, let's shower so you can get to your other treatment and I can go meet with Julie and see how she's doing."

We climbed into the large shower together, touching and teasing each other as we soaped ourselves clean. Finally, we grabbed the towels and dried off. We got dressed and kissed each other hard before parting ways in the hall. He went right to find Julie, and I went left to the first door on my right.

"Hello," said a soft voice as I walked into the room. "My name is Lisa. I'll be doing your body treatment."

For the next forty-five minutes, I was exfoliated and pampered, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. My mini-facial was spectacular, and by the time I was finished, I felt like a new woman. I pulled my clothes on and made my way back to the front, where Ranger and Julie were waiting.

"Did you have fun, Babe?"

I purred and then answered, "Oh man, I did. I feel amazing."

"Good," he said, smiling. "Why don't we go get that light lunch Chris suggested?"

Julie grinned. "Good! I'm already hungry, even though it wasn't that long ago since breakfast!"

I laughed and thought that even though I wouldn't admit it, I was hungry, too.

We walked down to the restaurants and chose Cafe Bellagio. It was a very casual, open, friendly place. Julie and I chose Coke and a club sandwich while Ranger had water and the veggie platter with cheese and crackers. I rolled my eyes when his lunch came.

"That's rabbit food!" I told him. "Better yet, bring it home and I'll feed it all to Rex and Ginger." I'd spent a few hours thinking of a name for the new female hamster Ella and Tank had bought. The hamster's hair was redder than Rex's, so Ginger had made a lot of sense to me.

He laughed and just took a big bite of radish.

Wanting a bit of time to relax before our hair and makeup appointments, we rushed through lunch and hurried up to our suite. I pulled out a pack of cards and asked if they'd like to play Rummy. We'd played almost every time Julie was down for a visit, so it was nothing new to any of us. As always, Ranger beat us both the first game, but on the second, Julie won by a hair. I looked at Ranger, and the sparkle in his eyes told me he had let her win.

Putting the cards away, Julie and I made sure our clothes were ready.

"Carlos, can you go pick up Julie's shoes while we're getting our hair and makeup done? They're down at David's Bridal. Paul knows the way. They're paid for; they just need to be picked up."

"I can do that," he said, smiling at his daughter. "Are you both ready to go? I'll walk down there with you and then call Paul to pick me up."

I looked at Julie, and she nodded. "I think so. Jules, let's grab our clothes and stuff because we'll go to the bridal room by the chapel after we finish our appointment. That way your dad can come back here to get his stuff and go to the groom's room without seeing us."

We went to our rooms and got our dresses, and I grabbed the bag with my shoes, hair combs, and Julie's bracelet. When we carried them back to the living room, Ranger took everything from us and carried them in one hand while holding my hand with his other. I laid my head on his bicep and smiled at Julie as we rode down in the elevator.

When we got to the salon, he asked the lady behind the counter if we could set the stuff behind there. She offered to take it all to the employee lounge so it would be safe. I gave her my name and checked us in and then handed her our things, thanking her. She said someone would be out to get us in a minute and then went back down a hallway with our bags.

"Here," I said, giving Ranger the card with Paul's number on it. "Now go, pick up the shoes, and get ready. We'll see you when it's time. I love you," I whispered into his ear as I hugged him, brushing my lips across his softly before releasing him.

"I love you, too, Babe. Always." He ruffled Julie's hair. "Love you, too, kiddo. I'll see you both in a few hours." He walked out, already pulling out his phone to call Paul.


	16. Chapter 16: Pre Wedding Rituals

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 16: Pre-Wedding Rituals  
Ranger's POV**

"Hello?"

"Hi, Paul. This is Carlos. I need to run over to David's Bridal to pick up the shoes for Julie. Could you pick me up as soon as possible?"

"Sure," he said. "Give me ten minutes."

"I'll be waiting out front," I told him, hanging up the phone. I gave my girls one last glance and then walked away to head to the front of the hotel.

Fifteen minutes later, Paul pulled to a stop in front of the store.

"I'll be right out. Just picking up the shoes," I told him before hurrying to the door.

"Hello, can I help you?" A perky little blonde woman had made her way quickly to me when I walked into the store.

"I'm getting married in a couple of hours, and my daughter's shoes were supposed to be ready today. Julie Martine."

"Oh, yes, they're right behind the counter waiting for you. Come with me," she said, smiling up at me.

We got to the checkout counter, and she moved around behind it. She pulled a box up from the shelf on the back of the counter and opened the lid. I saw the shoes that Julie had described in a color that seemed to match what I remembered her dress being.

"Thank you very much," I said, taking the lid and box from her. Putting the lid back on, I smiled once before turning and walking back out of the store to the limo.

"Take me back to the hotel, please, Paul. I need to make some phone calls before getting ready for the wedding." Five minutes later, we were pulling up to the front doors. "Thank you. I appreciate it," I told him. "We'll need you tomorrow at eleven for a trip to and from the airport. Julie's flight leaves at one."

"Okay, Carlos. I'll be here. Good luck with the wedding," he said to me before pulling away.

I hurried to the front desk and asked to speak to Chris. When he came out, I smiled and shook his hand.

"Hey, how do you like the suite?"

"It's great. Everyone seems comfortable, and I know the girls are having a great time. Thank you. Could you do me a favor, and instead of the bottle of champagne that is supposed to go into the bridal room, could you put two Cokes in the ice bucket? Also, if I could have a piece of stationary, I'd like to write Stephanie a note to leave with it."

"Sure. Give me a second." He walked quickly back to his office and came back holding a pen and a blank, folded notecard. "Will this work?"

"Perfect." I sat and wrote a note, explaining the Cokes to my Babe. Knowing her, she was beginning to freak out, so I also reminded her to breathe.

"If you could put this with the Cokes, I'd appreciate it. Here are Julie's shoes. They had to be dyed overnight and were ready this morning. I just got back from picking them up. Could you get them to her please?"

**"**Sure. I'll go take care of the Cokes and note right now and then put them and the shoes in the bridal room so they're ready when the ladies are. Oh, and here are the instructions in case you have anyone at home that would want to watch the ceremony online live. Everything else, including the flowers and photographer, has been taken care of. Your flower will be in the groom's room when you come down to get ready. If you have any questions, give me a call."

"Thanks, Chris, I will." I left him standing by the front desk while I hurried my way up to the suite.

Once I settled on the couch, I pulled out my phone to call Tank.

"Yo," his deep voice answered.

"It's me. Listen, get a pen so you can write this down. You may want to go get Lula, too. Get on the internet and go to..." I read out the internet address Chris had written on the paper. "Don't tell anyone else, but I thought Lula would really love to see it live. Everyone else can watch the DVD."

"Thanks, man. Lula will definitely love that. You doing okay?"

"I'm doing great. The girls are down getting their hair and makeup done, and I'm just sitting and relaxing until time to go down and get ready."

"Cool. Good luck," he told me, hanging up the phone.

I turned my phone off, slipped it back into my pocket, and then flipped on the TV. I had about an hour and half before I needed to get ready. Plenty of time to catch up on the news and relax, I decided.

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

Julie and I sat in the waiting area chairs for five minutes until two young women came up to us.

"Stephanie and Julie? I'm Kinzie, and this is April. We'll be doing your hair today. Stephanie, is there anything I should know about Julie's hair?"

I smiled and said, "Nope, I don't think so. She can tell you how she wants it styled. She's old enough to take that responsibility." I looked at her and winked. "Just don't make me regret that by coming out with your head shaved or your hair in a mohawk!"

Julie laughed. "I promise." Kinzie led her off to a chair on the far side of the room.

"Come with me, Stephanie. We'll wash you first, and then you can tell me what you want done," April said, smiling at me.

As soon as my hair was washed and pulled up into a towel, April led me to a chair near Julie's. "You're getting married today, right?"

I nodded.

"Are you wearing a veil?"

"No, I have two hair combs that I was given by my soon-to-be stepdaughter," I answered, smiling over at Julie in the other chair, "so if we could get those, I'd appreciate incorporating them. Otherwise, Carlos likes my hair down, so just taming the curls would be great."

"Okay, sit here and relax. Your stuff is in the lounge, so if you don't mind, I'll go get the combs." When I nodded my assent, she smiled and said, "Be right back."

I sat and tried to relax, breathing in through my nose and out my mouth while I waited. The butterflies were back full-force now, and I felt almost sick to my stomach.

"Hey, Steph?" Julie's voice called over to me softly.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"I'm glad you're marrying my dad. I know I haven't known him well for long, but from what I do know of him and from what the guys and my dad's family have all told me, he's happier with you than he has been his entire life. You're nice to me, too, and you make my mom comfortable with my relationship with my dad. So thank you. Don't be nervous. You're going to be beautiful, and the ceremony is going to be perfect. You and my dad are meant for each other. Remember the song that my mom likes to listen to. Don't worry, be happy!"

By the time she finished her little speech, tears were running down my face. "Thank you," I said, my voice rough from crying. "You have no idea how much that helped, hearing you say those things. I'm glad you're here with me so I'm not going through all of this alone."

She smiled and turned her attention back to the mirror to watch Kinzie working on her hair.

April came rushing back to me with the combs in her hands. "These are beautiful! Where'd you get them?"

I smiled softly. "They were a gift from Julie. She bought them at David's Bridal yesterday when we bought our dresses."

"Wow! Great choice, Julie," she said over her shoulder.

Thirty minutes later, my hair was dry and falling down my back in loose, soft curls. The combs were in on both sides and looked beautiful. Julie's hair was done in a french braid with a few soft ringlets curling around her face.

"Okay, let's go into the other room, and you can both get your makeup done at the same time as your manicures. Stayce and Barb will be doing your makeup, while Christine and Charlotte do your nails," April said, leading us across the room to a corner set up with little individual nail centers and makeup chairs.

I let Julie choose a light pink for her nails that would match the blush and lipstick she was going to be wearing. By the time we were finished, I was wearing a dark red polish, and my makeup looked perfect. Julie looked like a little angel, and I knew Ranger would be pleased to see that she didn't look too overdone.

"Time to go," I said. "We have about an hour until the ceremony. Let's go find the bridal room, sweetie."

We grabbed our things from the lounge and then made our way down the hall to find the chapels. A door on the right had a small sign saying, _Bridal Dressing Room_.

We walked in to find a couple of small bottles of Cokes in an ice bucket. I laughed and went over to pick up the card.

~oOo~

_Babe,_

_I know it should have been a bottle of champagne, but since Julie is too young to drink and you are a lightweight, I figured you both would enjoy some caffeine. I love you, Stephanie, and I can't wait to make you my wife._

_See you in a few,  
Carlos_

_PS. Breathe, Babe. Everything will be fine._

~oOo~

I laughed again. "These are from your dad. One for me, and one for you. He knew we could both use them."

As I handed Julie's to her, there was a knock on the door.

I reached for my purse, ready to get my gun if necessary.

"Hello? Stephanie, it's Chris. Are you and Julie in there? Can I come in?"

I put my purse back on the table and went to unlock the door. "Hi, Chris. What brings you here?"

He pulled out his hands from behind his back. There was a bag in one hand and flowers in the other. "Carlos asked me to give you Julie's shoes, and here are your flowers for the ceremony. The smaller bouquet is for Julie." He smiled at us. "I'll leave you two here to get ready. When it's time, I'll come back and lead you to the chapel. Carlos has everything else ready, so you just get dressed and relax. You have about forty-five minutes, so there's no rush." He gave us one more calm smile and let himself out, locking the door behind him.

I set the flowers down on the table and grabbed my new lingerie. Julie took her dress bag and set her shoes on the floor.

"I'll be right back," I told her, heading into the small attached bathroom to use the toilet, change into the white panties, and pull on my thigh-highs. I washed my hands and then came out wearing the new underclothes and went to my dress.

"Jules, can you help me get my dress over my head without messing up my hair or makeup please?"

"Sure, Steph."

She came over to me, and together, we were able to slip the dress over my head, smoothing it down until it fell gently around me.

"You look so pretty with the dress on and your hair and makeup done. Ranger's gonna flip!"

I smiled. "Thank you, sweetie. Let's get your dress on now."

I helped her pull the dress over her head, smoothing her hair down once it was on. I walked over to the bags and pulled out the box that held her bracelet.

"Julie, come here for a minute, please."

She came over, holding her now red shoes. I took them from her and set them on the floor.

"Your dad and I wanted you to have something to remember today." I gave her the box, and as she opened it, I continued. "You are a big part of your dad's life, even though you don't get to see each other as much as either of you would like. I know we met under the most terrifying circumstances we could imagine, but that has made us closer than I would have thought possible. There's no one else I'd rather have with me here today."

"Steph, it's gorgeous! I've always wanted a charm braclet! The heart is so pretty!" Her smile was so wide that I was afraid it would literally reach her ears.

"I'm glad you like it. Here, let me help you put it on." I helped her undo the toggle and then put it back together around her wrist. "Thank you for loaning me your necklace. Your dad gave me a matching bracelet and pair of earrings, did you know that?"

She nodded. "He told me when he called to ask if I minded loaning it to you. Are you going to wear them today?"

"I brought them with me in my purse, so I think so. Do you think they'd look okay?"

"I think they'd look great," she said with a smile.

I took my purse from the table and put on the jewelry as she slipped her shoes on. As soon as I had my shoes fastened, there was a knock at the door.

"Stephanie, it's Chris again."

I carefully walked to the door and let him in.

"Wow, you ladies look perfect! Carlos is going to be a very happy man. Are you ready to go? You can leave your things in here, and I'll lock the door so they are safe."

"I think I'm ready," I told him, looking over at Julie. "Are you ready, kiddo?" She nodded, so I held out my hand to her. "Then come on. Let's go get married."

She smiled and took my hand, and then we walked out the door to go face my future.


	17. Chapter 17: Baby You Belong To Me

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 17: Baby You Belong To Me  
Stephanie's POV**

Chris led us down a private hallway until we reached the outside of the chapel doors. A young man dressed in a dark, navy blue suit stood at the doors, waiting for us, and smiled as we approached.

"This is Quinn. He'll open the door for you when the music starts and let you know when tu proceed. I'm going to go in and sit down now so I can act as a witness. Just listen to Quinn, and everything will be fine. And remember, relax! Enjoy yourself so you can look back fondly on your special day."

I smiled and said, "Thanks, Chris. You've been wonderful."

He gave us both a wink and then slipped in through the doors carefully so Ranger couldn't get a peek out.

The beginning music to Faith Hill's _Baby You Belong To Me_ floated out through the doors to us, and Quinn smiled. "Julie, are you ready? Just walk slowly up to the front. Give your dad a kiss or hug if you want to and then step to the side, across from him, so you'll be on Stephanie's other side once she's up there with you."

Julie nodded. "Okay." Quinn started to open the door as I stepped to the side, and she quietly said, "Wait!" We froze, and she turned back to me. She took a couple of steps until she was right beside me. "Steph, I just wanted to say I'm glad you're finally going to be my stepmom." She gave me a quick hug and then turned and walked to the doors. "Okay, I'm ready now."

My eyes teared up, and I willed myself not to mess up my makeup, fanning my face to stop the tears as I watched her disappear through the now open doors.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

I stood waiting at the front of the chapel, not a worry in sight. Chris slipped in through the doors carefully and took his seat near the front. I smiled at him, nodding my head once.

The music started, and when the doors opened, I saw my beautiful, not-so-baby girl step through. She was a vision in her red dress. Julie was a perfect combination of her mother and me. She got my coloring and my eyes, but her perfect nose and mouth were all Rachel's.

I smiled at her as she glided down the aisle toward me. When she reached the front, she surprised me by throwing her arms around me and hugging me tightly. I bent down to hug her and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

She tilted her head back to whisper in my ear, "I love you, Daddy. I'm so happy you're marrying Steph."

Before I could react, she was over on her side of the aisle, smile in place as she turned toward the doors at the back of the chapel.

I swallowed, trying to hold back some of the emotions swirling through me at her surprising and entirely welcome words. If I gave in and let them take over, I wouldn't be able to concentrate completely on Stephanie as she walked down the aisle.

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

I watched Quinn, my stomach doing flip-flops, and when he motioned for me, I stepped carefully to the middle of the doors and looked inside. As I started slowly up the aisle, my gaze fell on Ranger, who was standing at the front.

I gasped quietly. He always looked sexy. Dangerous. Today, though, he looked like simple perfection. He was wearing a black suit with a deep blue tie that matched my jewelry. Knowing how much I loved it when he left his hair loose, it was falling down around his shoulders, shiny, soft, and healthy looking. The smile on his face could have lit up the world, and the shine in his eyes told me he was having as hard a time not crying as I was.

~oooOOOooo~

**Ranger's POV**

When Stephanie stepped out into the aisle, my heart nearly stopped. She was more stunning than I had ever seen her. It wasn't the dress or the shoes. It certainly wasn't her beautiful hair or the makeup so perfectly done that made her stunning right that minute. It was simply the love I could see almost pouring out of every part of her. She was glowing. That was the only word I could think to use. She looked at me like I was the only other person in the world and that she wouldn't want to be anywhere but right here with me.

As she came even with me, she turned first and handed Julie the beautiful bouquet of purple and pink tulips, her favorite flowers. When she turned back to me, she was unable to hold back the tears I had seen brimming in her eyes.

~oooOOOooo~

**Stephanie's POV**

My heart was beating so loudly that I was afraid Ranger would hear it, even over the music. When I turned back from handing Julie my bouquet, the tears fell from my eyes, running in rivers down my cheeks. Ranger reached his hands toward me, taking my hands in one of his while the other moved to my face, softly brushing my tears away.

"You are _so_ beautiful," he whispered, his thumb softly caressing my cheek.

He took his hand down, and we stood facing each other as the officiant began the ceremony.

The beginning was short and sweet, and we quickly got to our vows. We had decided we would simply speak from our hearts and not do a lot of preparation. When the man said it was my turn to place my vow before Ranger, the butterflies began to fly harder...until I looked into his eyes and found my peace.

"Carlos, you've been my best friend from nearly the moment I met you in that little diner. The road we took to get us to this point was filled with danger, excitement, heartache, and love. I thought I'd lost you when you were shot, but in a way, I'm thankful. Because of that, my eyes were opened to my true feelings for you. Because of that, I learned I love you like I've never loved anyone before and will never love anyone ever again. I am yours forever. Thank you for sharing your love, your life, and your beautiful daughter. I love you."

I smiled tremulously at him as I watched my words reach in and grab his heart. The emotion in his eyes was more than I had ever seen before, and I got so weak in the knees that I nearly passed out. He squeezed my hands reassuredly before beginning his own vows.

"Babe. Stephanie. There are so many words I could use to describe you. You are strong...stronger than any woman I've ever met. You are beautiful. I love your wild, sexy, curly hair. I love your deep blue eyes and the way your lips tilt up when you smile. You are brave, caring, friendly, open, honest. I could go on and on. You somehow wormed your way under the defenses I set up a long time ago to keep my heart safe. I knew a long time before I could actually admit it to myself that you were the one for me...the only woman I have ever loved and the only one I will ever love in the future. You grabbed ahold of my heart and wouldn't let go, and for that, I'll be forever grateful. If not for you, I would have missed out on being married to the most wonderful woman I've ever met. I chose the song _Baby You Belong To Me_ for you to walk down the aisle to today, not because you belong to me but because I belong to you. My heart, my soul. Every part of me is yours. For now. For tomorrow. For always. I love you, Babe."

I heard Julie sniffing quietly behind me and knew she was crying as much as I was. I couldn't say anything to Ranger in response to his vow because I felt like anything I said would pale in comparison, and I didn't want to ruin the perfect moment.

The officiant said a few last words and then asked for the rings. Ranger pulled two rings out of his pocket and handed me one. The man talked about how the circle of the rings was unbroken, like the love between a husband and a wife, and then he looked at me.

"Stephanie, take the ring, place it on Carlos's finger, and repeat after me."

I slid the plain but simply beautiful platinum ring onto his finger and whispered the words to Ranger, making him my husband.

"Carlos, take the ring, place it on Stephanie's finger, and repeat after me."

I looked down to see him slide a matching platinum band with alternating emeralds and diamonds onto my finger to rest against the engagement ring already resting there. When he whispered the words back to me, the dam broke, and I began sobbing quietly.

He gathered me to him, holding me tightly against his chest as the officiant finally announced we were husband and wife. Before he could even get the words out of his mouth about kissing the bride, Ranger's lips were on mine, softly brushing back and forth a few times before pressing firmly against them.

Aware of Julie in the background, we pulled apart before the kiss got out of control and just stood there staring into one another's eyes. All the passion we would have poured into the kiss flamed in our eyes, and I knew my life had been forever brightened by becoming Mrs. Ricardo Carlos Manoso.

~oooOOOooo~

_A/N: You really should look up the lyrics to Faith Hill's **Baby You Belong To Me** and then check it out on YouTube. It's beautiful!_


	18. Chapter 18: Man and Wife

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 18: Man and Wife  
Stephanie's POV**

The next hour flew by. I remember walking down the aisle, arm-in-arm with Ranger. Julie was on his other side, holding his hand. I remember going back to the suite and changing into more appropriate clothes for dinner, but I wasn't truly aware of anything around me until we finally were seated at the restaurant and the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen hit my nose.

I looked around, confused. "Where are we?" I asked Julie and Ranger.

They looked at each other then began laughing quietly, getting louder and louder until even I couldn't help joining in.

"Sorry! I just, uh, wasn't, umm..." I couldn't quite get out that I didn't remember much of anything after the ceremony ended.

They suddenly quieted, and Ranger cupped my face in his hands. "Babe, we're at Prime Steakhouse. Chris made us reservations. Is that okay?"

I laughed. "Oh! Yeah, that's fine. I'm okay now. Just a bit overwhelmed."

He tensed slightly, emotions running across his face. "Are you sure you're okay? Not regretting anything already?"

I suddenly realized that he thought I was regretting marrying him. I knew I had to put a stop to that immediately, so I stood up and then slid onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling my lips to his ear. "Carlos, I will _never_ regret marrying you. That was the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed, and I will never forget one second of it. I'm happier right now than I have ever been in my entire life. I love you so very, very much."

He pulled me away so he could look into my eyes for a minute. Satisfied with what he saw there, he wrapped his fingers into my curls and held me to him, his lips softly caressing mine until the waiter coughed discreetly beside us. Reluctantly, Ranger pulled away but kept me on his lap by wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me still.

Julie decided to give us a moment to compose ourselves and said, "We'd like to start with the Dungeness Crab Cakes. I want a water to drink, please." She smiled at us. "Do you have a good bottle of champagne?"

"Actually, Mr. James has a bottle already selected, as well as some sparkling grape juice for you. They will be out shortly," the waiter said. "Would anyone else like anything besides that to drink?"

"I'll take a glass of ice water, as well," Ranger said, "and a Coke for my wife." He grinned as he said the words _my wife_, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Okay, I'll be back shortly with your drinks and to take the rest of your order." He walked away, leaving the three of us quiet at the table.

Julie finally couldn't stand the silence anymore. "I thought the wedding was beautiful. You guys look so cute together!"

I smiled and reached out to take her hand. "Thank you, sweetie. It wouldn't have been the same without you here; I hope you know that!"

She nodded.

"Thank you both for letting me be a part of your family."

At my words, Julie burst into tears, came over, and wrapped her arms around us. "I hope Mom lets me come visit more often. Do I really have to leave in the morning?"

I slid off Ranger's lap and moved to my own seat, gesturing silently at him to take Julie in his arms.

He understood and pulled her down in the spot I'd just vacated. "Yes, _querida,_ you do. You have school, remember? We all have our crosses to bear, and school is your cross. Besides, you have to go tell everyone all about it! Steph and I will definitely talk to your mom about you coming to Trenton to visit more often, okay? Maybe you can come and stay for a good long visit this summer. If you don't have plans for spring break, maybe you can spend that with us, too. It'll work out. If nothing else, Steph and I will come down to Miami once a month to visit for a weekend, okay? Now, cheer up and figure out what you want to eat!"

She slid off his lap and sat back down in her own chair, laughing. "I already know. While you guys were being all mushy—" she crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue "—I decided I wanted the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with broccoli parmesan and onion rings."

We laughed.

"Fair enough," Ranger answered. "Babe, take a look at the menu and see what you'd like so we can order when he comes back with our drinks."

I'd already picked up the menu and begun to view my choices. "I think I'll have the Six Peppercorn New York Strip Steak with roasted wild mushrooms and onion rings."

We made small talk for the next several minutes until the waiter finally made his way to us. "Okay, folks, here are your drinks," he said, setting out the waters and my Coke.

A young man following behind him set down a bucket of ice, which held a bottle of champagne, two empty glasses, and a glass full of sparkling grape juice, which he set in front of Julie.

When the young man was gone, our waiter asked, "Okay, are you ready to order?"

Ranger spoke first. Once he had ordered for Julie and me, he said, "I'd like the Slow Baked Salmon with steamed asparagus and tender glazed carrots."

"Very good choices. Enjoy the drinks. Your crab cakes will be out shortly."

As soon as he left, Ranger poured us both a glass of the champagne and then lifted his glass. "A toast," he said, smiling. "To a wonderful day, to being with my two favorite ladies in this world, and to the love of my life, my new wife, Stephanie Manoso."

My heart was overflowing as I clinked my glass against his and then Julie's before taking a sip of the drink.

For the next hour and a half, we ate and talked, enjoying both the delicious food and the conversation. I knew Ranger was more than thrilled to be able to catch up on the latest about Julie's life, hearing about all her experiences with running track, her siblings, and more about her friends. Even though we'd had several times over the last two days to talk, she had yet to run out of things to tell us.

Finally, the three of us were surprised when a small, double-layer wedding cake was delivered to the table, along with a note from Chris.

~oOo~

_Carlos & Stephanie,_

_Congratulations on your wedding today. I hope it was everything you dreamed of and more. Enjoy the cake! Your waiter will get the top layer wrapped for you so you can keep it in the refrigerator until you get home. Then you can freeze it so you can pull it out to eat on your first wedding anniversary!_

_Pictures were taken of the cake before it was brought out and will be delivered to your suite tomorrow morning, along with the pictures and video from the wedding._

_If there is anything else I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask!_

_Chris_

~oOo~

Ranger took the top layer carefully off after letting us admire it and set it to the side before reaching for the cake knife that had come with it. He cut three slices, even setting one in front of himself, and we all dug in. It was a delicious strawberry and chocolate cake with traditional white icing and was absolutely fabulous. I moaned after my first bite and watched Ranger's eyes darken in lust and a promise of wonderful nights ahead.

As soon as we finished eating, the waiter took away the remaining cake and returned within minutes, carrying two wrapped bundles. "Put both of these into the refrigerator of your suite," he said. "Then when you return home, the small one goes straight into your freezer. It is wrapped up well, so it shouldn't get freezer burn."

"Thank you," I told him, smiling.

We picked up the cake and left the restaurant hand-in-hand, with Ranger carrying the cake. When we got to the suite, Ranger made us wait in the hall until he had made a run through of the entire suite.

I looked at Julie and laughed. "I guess even safety never takes a holiday."

She giggled until Ranger came out to give us the all-clear, looking quizzically at the two of us.

I just shrugged and smiled at him. "Okay, Mr. Security Officer. Anything to report?"

"No, it's all clear, smartass," Ranger whispered into my ear as I passed to put the cake packages into the freezer.

"I think I'm going to go change for bed and then call my mom and friends to tell them about today. I'll see you guys in the morning!" Julie came over and gave us both big hugs before moving quickly to her room.

As soon as her door shut, Ranger swooped me into his arms and almost flew into our bedroom. He shut the door with his foot before sitting down on the bed with me on his lap.

"_Dios,_ Babe. I want you so much, but I want to wait until I can do it properly. With Julie right down the hall in her room..." His voice trailed off.

I caressed his cheek with my palm. "It's okay, Carlos. I understand. We have all the time in the world."

"The rest of our lives," he said quietly before softly kissing my lips. "I don't know about you, Babe, but I'm tired. Go shower and get changed for bed while I call and make sure the plane will be ready for Julie in the morning. I love you, _mi esposa._ My wife."

My heart fluttered quickly in my chest as I answered, "I love you, too, my husband." I slid off his lap and grabbed one of his black T-shirts from his bag before heading into the bathroom.

The last thing I heard before shutting the door was his voice on the phone. I smiled, happier than I'd ever been before and ready to start the rest of my life with the man I loved.


	19. Chapter 19: The Sort of Wedding Night

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 19: The...Sort of Wedding Night!  
Stephanie's POV**

I woke up again the next morning to soft kisses being peppered up and down my shoulder where the black T-shirt had fallen off to one side. I think Ranger knew how much I loved waking up that way, because he'd been doing it for the last few days.

His deep voice whispered, "Time to wake up, Mrs. Manoso. Breakfast will be here any minute."

I cracked one eye open and smiled softly at him. "You like saying that, don't you?" I teased.

"I get a thrill every time," he said, chuckling. "Are you awake now? I need to get back out there to wait for room service. Can you get dressed and come out to eat when it gets here without any more prompting?"

"Hmm, well, I could always use more prompting, but if you keep going, we may never leave the room. So go! I'm awake. I'll slip something else on and come out to eat before taking my shower."

He leaned in to kiss me once before turning and making his way out to the hall, closing the door behind him.

I stood up, stretched, and then reached into my bag and rooted around, realizing I hadn't packed my second pair of yoga pants like I'd wanted to. I knew Ranger had another pair of sweats in his bag, so it wasn't a big deal. I moved to his bag, pulled out a black pair of his sweatpants, and tugged them on. They were big enough that I had to roll up both legs and the waist so they would stay up better. I grabbed a spare leather hair tie from his bag, as well, and walked out to the living room as I pulled my hair back.

Ranger was just closing the door behind the room service guy, and Julie was on the couch, pulling lids off various dishes. Just like the morning before, it was a veritable feast. I looked at the clock and realized we had about an hour and a half before Julie was supposed to be on the plane.

"Did you talk to your mom and friends last night, Jules?" I asked before taking a big bite of scrambled eggs.

"I did! Mom said the ceremony sounded beautiful, and Jessica said it sounded so romantic, and that she wished, uh—" she looked at Ranger and lowered her voice so only I could hear "—that she had been you." She rolled her eyes at me, and I laughed.

"I'm definitely a lucky woman," I said, smiling softly at Ranger.

He walked over to me, carrying his plate of food, and slid in behind me on the couch so I was sitting between his legs.

Kissing the back of my neck, he said, "Oh, I don't know. I think I'm the lucky one."

We finished eating quickly, rolling the room service cart outside the door, and then went to our rooms to get showered and dressed.

I stripped outside the bathroom door, intent on getting the first shower, and heard a low growl behind me just before Ranger's arms slid around my waist, pulling me back against him. He was already naked and ready for his shower, and his erection was pressed hard against me, running up along the crack of my ass.

"Babe, you are a seductive temptress. Do you feel what you do to me without even trying?" His voice was like whiskey and velvet, smooth and soft, and his words sent shivers through my entire body.

"Mmm, see something you like?" I whispered.

He ground his hips hard against mine, one hand sliding up to cup my breast, his fingers tweaking my nipple.

"More than you could begin to imagine, but until Julie gets on the plane, I can't do what I so badly want to do. Get your sexy ass into the shower so I'm not tempted to join you." He brushed my hair back and kissed the side of my neck tenderly before giving me a gentle shove toward the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later, we were all dressed and ready to go. While I was in the shower, someone from the hotel had brought up the wedding pictures and video on CD. There were two copies of them all, including the pictures of the cake, so Ranger had let Julie choose whichever ones she wanted. She'd packed a copy of the video and about fifteen pictures, and when I came out to the living room, she said she couldn't wait to show them to all her friends.

On the way out the door of the room, I called Paul and arranged for him to pick us up.

"I knew you needed me this morning, so I'm in the lounge. I'll be out front in three minutes," he said.

The ride to the airport was quiet as I snuggled against Ranger and Julie spun her new charm bracelet around and around on her wrist.

"Hey, kiddo. What's up? This is the most quiet I've ever seen you." I gave Ranger a worried look, and he quirked an eyebrow, not sure what was going on.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," Julie said quietly. "When will I see you again?"

My heart swelled, knowing I was going to miss her just as much. "I don't know, sweetie. I'm sure it will be soon, though."

"_Querida_, I'll call your mom and see about stopping in Miami at the end of our honeymoon, okay?"

My head jerked up at Ranger's words. I hadn't even thought about a honeymoon.

"So it won't be that long, I promise."

Her face brightened. "Okay! Where are you going on your honeymoon?"

I shook my head. "Don't look at me! That is as much a surprise to me as it is to you! Carlos?"

"My lips are sealed," he said, grinning.

I knew then that there was no way I was going to get it out of him.

Julie tried to get any information from him that she could until we pulled up at the private plane.

"Come on, _querida_. Time to go," Ranger told her as he got out.

She handed him her luggage and then climbed out ahead of me. I slid out and shut the car door behind me.

We walked her up into the plane, and as I hugged her goodbye, Ranger strapped her luggage into the rack by the seats.

"Call us when you get home, okay?" I told her, giving her one last hug.

"Thank you for coming with us, _querida_. It meant so much that you were here," Ranger told Julie as he hugged her goodbye. "We'll see you soon."

She nodded. "Okay. I love you guys."

We kissed her one last time before climbing out of the plane and heading back toward the limo. After watching her plane until it was a tiny speck in the sky, we got into the car and curled up together, tears falling silently down my cheeks.

Ranger held me tightly as we made our way back to the hotel, his thumbs brushing the tears away as I cried. "We'll see her soon, Babe. I promise."

Back at the hotel, we rode silently up the elevator, his arms wrapped around me. The elevator ride took several minutes, and Ranger spent the entire time placing soft kisses on my neck and shoulder, his tongue darting out and tracing circles on my skin. By the time we got into the room, my skin felt alive, like all the hairs were standing on end.

He pushed the door closed behind us and then pinned me to the back of the door with one hand on either side of my head. "I want you," Ranger said in between kisses.

I tried to raise my arms to wrap them around him, but he shook his head. Instead, he swooped me up into his arms and began kissing my lips softly as he expertly guided us to the bedroom, where he placed me gently on my feet beside the bed.

Without wasting any time but without rushing, either, he moved his hands to the hem of my dress and slowly pulled it up over my hips, his hands skimming my waist and the soft swells of my breasts. I raised my arms and let him pull it over my head and off past my hands before he tossed it to the floor. I stood before him in only a pair of black lace, barely-there panties and my red FMPs with nearly a four-inch heel.

I watched as his eyes darkened again, moving from my toes all the way up to my face, pausing a few times to look at the lace that was already damp with my arousal and at the hardening peaks of my nipples. When I saw his eyes stop on my lips, I darted my tongue out, tracing first my upper lip and then my lower before sucking the lower lip in and nibbling on it gently. He growled softly and pulled me to him, almost crushing me in a hug so tender that I was surprised it felt so strong. He once again scooped me up, only this time, he laid me straight down in the center of the bed.

"I think you're overdressed," I said in a soft voice.

Ranger smiled and held my eyes as he slowly unbuttoned the black shirt he was currently wearing. He tossed it to the floor with my dress and then kicked off his shoes and toed off his socks.

With his eyes glued to mine, he pushed his slacks down to his ankles and stepped out of them. I couldn't help it. I licked my lips and let my eyes drift downward in time to see his impressive erection spring from his pants as they fell to the floor. _It's a good thing he's planning on taking off my panties because if they weren't already wet, they're most certainly ruined now_, I thought to myself.

"Maybe I should just take them off, then," Ranger said in a sexy voice.

_Oh shit... I must have said that out loud._

He laughed. "Yeah, Babe, you did. It's good to know marriage hasn't changed how I affect you," he teased.

Before I could respond, he was on the bed, settling himself between my parted thighs. He slowly moved himself down until he was sitting back on his heels and then raised my left foot, placing it on his chest.

He unstrapped my shoe and pulled it off, setting it gently on the floor beside the bed. Using his thumbs, he slowly massaged the bottom of my foot, putting just enough pressure into it to avoid tickling my sensitive arch. He rubbed all the way from the tips of my toes to my ankle, alternating light, gentle touches with more firm strokes until I was moaning.

Ranger kissed my toes before carefully setting my foot back on the bed. Then he picked up my other foot and repeated it all until I was begging for more.

When he knew I'd had enough, he sucked my toes into his mouth, one at a time, and then began kissing and licking his way up my calf. He dipped his tongue into the back of my knee, sending shivers up my spine, and then continued moving up my inner thigh.

He nibbled and sucked at the soft skin, scraping his teeth lightly across it, before sucking it into his mouth. Marking me lightly with his mouth, he laved the spot with his tongue before moving down to my left foot and beginning all over again, making his way up my leg. He marked the tender skin of that thigh, as well, giving me a matching mark to the one from a few days before, until I was writhing under him, whimpering and pleading.

His murmured Spanish as he looked deep into my eyes had me grasping for his hair with my fingers so I could pull him up until he was hovering above the spot I most wanted his touch.

My core was throbbing, drenched and ready for him, and when he lowered his head and flicked his tongue to my clit once, I exploded under him. White heat flared under my closed eyelids and spread through my entire body, causing me to jerk and throw my hips up with such a force that his face was suddenly pressed against me.

"M-More, please!"

He quickly moved away from me, sitting back on his heels once more and looking at me silently.

When I moved, trying to reach his hand, he moved it to my lower belly and forced my hips back to the bed, holding me down gently.

"Don't move," he commanded quietly.

I stilled immediately, desperate for more but afraid of making it stop.

As soon as I stopped moving, Ranger slid back between my thighs. With his mouth and fingers, he made me fly, stroking and licking me through two more orgasms.

He slowly slid his fingers out of me, trailing them over my sensitive clit. Watching me, he sucked them into his mouth, one by one. When he moved up to lie beside me, he murmured, "So sweet..." softly into my ear before gathering me into his arms and stroking my hair as I calmed.

We lay there for several minutes, both of us breathing heavily. Ranger was softly kissing my shoulder and neck. Every so often, his tongue would dart out and trace circles on my skin. Once I had caught my breath, I knew I wanted more of him still, so I sat at up and kissed him hard on the mouth, tasting traces of my juices on his lips.

He made a surprised noise as I sat up more and straddled his thighs. I leaned over and pressed my lips and hands to his chest, slowly brushing kisses over his warm, mocha-latte skin. When I moved my lips to his left nipple, he jerked under my touch. My left hand moved to his right nipple and began to tweak it gently, rolling it softly between my fingers as my teeth scraped across the left.

Both pebbled under my touch, and I felt him shiver as I bit down gently before moving over to his right nipple with my mouth. My fingers found his left, still damp from my mouth, and began to circle it softly while my lips closed around his right. His hips began to move up and down under me, so I bit down hard on his nipple before moving down his body.

I teased and played with my hand and mouth until Ranger bucked his hips.

"_Dios!_ Babe, you're killing me," Ranger growled softly. "I don't know how much more I can take."

I smiled around his length, slowly moving up and then all the way back down, over and over, squeezing him below a little harder with every pass of my mouth on his cock. When I felt him tense in my hand, I knew it was time. I slowly slid him out of my mouth.

Before I could move up to sit astride him, Ranger reached up, took me by the shoulders, and flipped us over so I was on my back. "Are you ready for me, Babe?" His eyes were so dark, I could have gotten lost in their depths.

When I nodded, he lifted my legs onto his shoulders and slid into me. Our first time making love as husband and wife was hard and fast...and perfect. We were slick with sweat and breathing heavily as we flew over the edge together.

It seemed like hours until he finally was calm enough to pull out of me, my legs falling down beside his thighs as he sat between them. He slowly moved up to lie beside me, holding me close, his hand moving in gentle circles on my back until I couldn't hold my eyelids open any longer. I drifted slowly into a deep sleep, my body and soul sated and happy.


	20. Chapter 20: Surprise Reception

_Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 20: Surprise Reception  
Stephanie's POV**

I blinked into the sun as I walked off the plane in Trenton. It had been a perfect three days since Julie left Las Vegas. Ranger and I had spent the majority of the time in bed together, although we did get out and about a few times. I smiled as he took my hand, and I remembered one of my favorite trips out of the hotel.

~oOo~

_"Stay here," Ranger murmured when room service knocked on the door._

_I yawned and stretched, the sheet falling around my waist as I watched him walk from the bedroom to the living room. I heard muffled voices as he tipped the room service waiter and then the slight rattle of the dishes as he wheeled the cart into the bedroom._

_His eyes darkened when he walked in and saw me naked from the waist up. I'd gotten over all my shyness about being nude in front of him within the first twenty-four hours after Julie had left, so I leaned back on my hands, pushing my chest out._

_"Babe, we need to eat. We haven't had food since yesterday afternoon."_

_I pouted until he came over and captured my lips with his._

_"You aren't getting away from me that easily. Let's eat so I have the strength to keep up with you," he growled against my neck._

_I nodded and held out my hands for my plate. "Feed me!" I said, laughing._

_Thirty minutes later, I set my plate carefully over on the tray after finishing my omelet with fresh fruit and whole wheat toast slathered in butter and delicious strawberry jam and then lay back. "Ugh. I can't eat another bite. I think I need a nap now," I said, looking sadly at the leftover bits of food on the cart._

_"I promise we'll get out for lunch later, okay? Just relax, Babe." Ranger set his plate on the cart and wheeled it out to the hall, closing the suite door behind him when he came back inside. I heard him rustling papers on the table before he walked into the bedroom._

_"Babe, I have something for you. I know you've wanted to see this show since it was on Broadway." He handed me an envelope._

_I gasped when I pulled open the flap and pulled out two tickets and two other cards. There, in big, bold letters, were the words _Phantom of the Opera_. "Carlos! Really?" I was nearly speechless. I was instantly reminded of him taking me to see _Ghostbusters_ on Broadway, and I was just as excited now as I was then._

_"An old Army buddy is married to one of the cast members, so when I heard that, I knew I had to get us tickets. I called him and was able to get the passes to meet the cast after the show, as well. We go tonight."_

_I threw my arms around him, nearly knocking us both off the bed. His lips met mine, and he pushed me back on the bed until he was hovering over me._

~oOo~

We'd stayed in bed for hours before I'd shot up, worried about what I would wear that night. Ranger had known me well, though. I smiled, remembering the new dress and shoes he'd had ready for me later that day. It had been a night I'd never forget.

"C'mon, Babe. Time to get to the office," Ranger said as he took my hand to walk to me to the car.

We drove to RangeMan and parked in the spot Ranger had reserved for the Cayenne. I grabbed the bag full of souveniers I'd brought back for a few of the guys and for Mary Lou's and Val's kids. Ranger carried the rest of our bags, and we piled into the elevator, planning on making a stop on five to say hello before heading up to seven to drop off our bags.

We stopped at Ranger's office and set all the bags down, wondering why the floor was so quiet. We had waved to the guys in the control room but hadn't seen anyone else.

"Where is everyone?" I asked Ranger. I knew he'd called Tank the night before to let him know when we'd be home.

"Not sure, Babe. Let's go see if Tank's in his office." Taking my hand, he had just turned us to head out of the office when Tank stepped into the doorway.

"Hey, look who's back!" He gave us a big grin. "C'mon, Bomber. Let me see the rock!"

I laughed and held out my hand.

"Woah, it looks perfect, Steph. Congratulations." He gave me a hug and then reached out to shake Ranger's hand. "It's about time, man."

Ranger rolled his eyes but couldn't keep the huge smile off his face. "Where is everyone?"

"Some of the guys are out on a couple of calls we got, checking security. A few are in the kitchen. Les and Bobby are there. Want to go share the good news with them?" Tank asked.

I nodded. "Please! Carlos, is that okay? I want to tell the guys now."

"That's fine, Babe. Lead the way, Tank."

We followed Tank down the hall, but when we got to the big conference room door, he stopped.

"Oh, there are some papers in here I meant to give Lester. Let's stop here for a minute." He opened the door and walked in. "C'mon in, guys. It'll take me a minute to find them. Steph, can you get the lights, please?"

I flipped on the lights, and suddenly, we were bombarded with shouting.

"Congratulations!" and "Welcome home!" were shouted by many of the people in the room, but several voices, mainly the guys and Lula, cried, "It's about time!"

I blinked my eyes and grasped Ranger's hand tighter. There in front of us were Lula, Connie, and all of the RangeMan crew, along with my entire family and most of Ranger's family, as well.

"What the hell?"

The guys began laughing at Ranger's outburst.

We were rushed by both our mothers, followed closely behind by the rest of our families.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum! Or should I say Stephanie Michelle Manoso now? How could you go off and get married without telling me?" My mom's voice was loudest in the crowd.

"Mom! We didn't want to make a—" I couldn't get out the rest of the sentence before she grabbed me in a huge hug.

"I know, Stephanie. I was teasing. I wish you had waited, but Pierre came and explained that you and Ranger had wanted to do something simple and just for the two of you. I was disappointed, but he said I could work with Ranger's mother and plan this party for the day you came home."

My jaw dropped. She was being so...unlike my mother. What in the world had Tank said to her?

"You didn't give us much time to work, sweetheart! I hope you know how hard it was to plan all this in such a short time!"

Ahh, there was the mother I knew and loved.

"I know, and I'm sorry, Mom. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing, but it was just right for the two of us. It was beautiful and perfect. I have pictures and a video, though, so you'll be able to watch."

"Beautiful, that's part of today's festivities. We're going to eat cake and have a viewing party!" Lester's voice called out to us from back in the crowd.

I looked over at Ranger, who was surrounded by his mom, dad, and siblings.

He glanced at me and held his hand out. "Come here, Babe."

I moved over to his side and was immediately pulled into a hug by his mom and sisters.

"We're so glad you are an official part of the family now, Stephanie," Celia said over the noise of the crowd.

I hugged them all and then turned and hugged my mom, grandma, Val, and Mary Lou. I noticed my dad sitting with Lenny, Albert, and an older gentleman who I could only guess was Grandma's date.

I got turned around and pulled into a giant bear hug by Lula, who passed me to Connie.

"Skinny ass white girl! You're glowing! Vegas must have done you some good! Or is it all the Batman-loving you got?"

I laughed. "I think it was a little of both," I whispered to them, looking lovingly over at Ranger. "I'm glad you both could come today."

"We wouldn't have missed it, Steph," Connie said, smiling. "Hal and Tank had us here helping Ella for hours today, getting it all set up while they worked to get cleared for the afternoon. Vinnie is having a fit that we're both gone, but he can answer his own damn phone for a few hours!"

We laughed as I looked around the room. I noticed that all the tables but one had been taken out of the room. The single table that was left had been pushed up against the wall and held a large cake and a huge punch bowl, which was filled to the brim with a pretty pale punch.

"Okay, if everyone will find their seats. Boss, Bomber, the two of you take these two up front in the middle. Moms on either side and then dads. Everyone else, the seats are up for grabs." Bobby's voice was loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

There was a scramble for seats, although I noticed the guys were all being very sweet and waited until everyone else had found seats before claiming the ones at the very back. Tank moved to the front of the room and handed my mom the envelope of pictures from the wedding.

"Mrs. Plum, after we watch the video, look at the pictures and then share them with Maria. After you all have had a chance to look at them, pass them around for everyone else to look. Bobby, hit the lights!"

The room was thrown into darkness, and Tank hit play on the DVD player. The big screen TV lit up, and when I heard the opening music, I watched as Ranger and the officiant came into view. The chapel looked beautiful, and as always, Ranger looked amazing. I curled up next to him, and we did more watching each other than watching the video.

When it was over, I looked at my mom and Maria, seeing tears in both of their eyes.

"Stephanie, Carlos," they said at the same time. They stood up and wrapped their arms around us, making a group hug of four, and I found myself crying tears of happiness with them.

"It was the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed," I told them honestly, looking softly at Ranger. "He made all of my dreams come true and then some. I couldn't be happier."

As Ranger brushed his lips against mine, my mom said quietly, "That's all I've ever wanted for you, Stephanie. I know I went about it the wrong way for a long time, but I'm glad you found the right path for yourself."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, choking back the storm of tears threatening me.

"Okay, you guys, break it up! It's time for cake and for the mothers to look at pictures. The cake was made by Ella, Bomber, so you know it's good!" Tank's voice boomed above the rest of the chatter in the room.

Ranger and I got up and walked over to the table with the cake to take the first pieces and get some punch. When I looked back, our parents had scooted closer to each other and were looking through the pictures together.

My mom had a piece of paper and a pencil out, and I knew she was writing down which pictures they all wanted copies of. I made my way back to them and said, "Mom, Maria, I already have plans to get copies made of all the pictures for both of you. If there are a few you want more than one copy of to give to other family, write those down and I'll get those made then, okay?"

They smiled gratefully at me, and as I walked away, I heard my dad and Ricardo, Ranger's father, talking about the latest sports scores. I rolled my eyes and smiled as I walked back to Ranger.

"What's that look for?" he asked me, half worried since I had just come from talking to our parents.

"Just laughing at our fathers. Even here, they are talking sports."

"At least everyone is getting along," he said, laughing. "It could be much worse!"

We took our plates and little cups and made our way back to our seats, smiling and nodding as everyone we passed congratulated us.

We had just gotten seated when Lula's voice called out, "Okay, now that the bride and groom have gotten theirs, it's cake time! Don't push and shove. There's plenty for everyone!"

I looked back and saw her eyeing the Merry Men.

She continued, "Boys, wait till all the little people have been served. Don't want you eatin' all the cake 'fore everyone else gets some!"

The guys all laughed.

"Fine, fine. We'll let everyone else get their share," Lester called out.

There was a low-level hum for the next few minutes as everyone sat around eating cake. Every couple of minutes, someone else would come by and shake Ranger's hand or give me a hug. Everyone seemed so happy for us, and no one seemed too surprised that we'd run away to Vegas.

"I knew once he'd proposed that you guys wouldn't waste any time," Tank said happily. "When Ranger called, it didn't take me long to figure out that's what was going on. I started planning this then."

He stood up at the front of the room. "If I could have everyone's attention. Have a seat and hush so Carlos and Steph can hear me please." He waited till the room was mostly still and silent before continuing. "Guys, we all know you aren't lacking for most things. Anything you don't already have, Carlos can buy easily. So after talking to both your mothers, the entire group in here went together on your gift." He handed Ranger an envelope.

My eyes widened. "Tank?"

"Open it up, Babe," Ranger said, handing me the envelope.

I slowly opened the flap to find a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I sat staring at the page for a minute before Ranger gently tugged it out of my hands. "Is that what I think it is?" I asked him when I found my voice.

Ranger took several seconds to answer. "Yeah, Babe. It's hotel reservations for a trip around the world. The note at the bottom says the RangeMan plane will be fueled up and ready to go whenever we are. Our first stop is Hawaii. We stay there for four days." Ranger was speechless for a minute. "_Dios!_ Venice, Rome, Berlin, Paris, Moscow, Beijing, Sydney..." His voice trailed off.

"You guys! This is too much!" My voice cracked as I began to cry.

Ranger pulled me into his arms.

"Carlos, you've—" Tank paused "—no, we've, been in some of the worst places in the world. We all wanted you to have some great memories of other parts of the world, too. Steph, this way, you and Carlos have memories of the world together."

I jumped up and threw my arms around Tank. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I shouted. Turning around, I let everyone in the room see the huge smile on my face. "Thank you all so much!"

Ranger sat in his seat with a stunned expression on his face. I'm not sure I'd ever seen him as shocked as he was at that moment. "Babe..."

"C'mon, Carlos," I whispered into his ear. "Thank everyone so we can go upstairs and start practicing for our honeymoon."

His eyes darkened, and he shot out of his chair. The look on his face sent shivers down my spine and a shot of need all the way down my front. "Let's hurry, Babe. I think we're going to need lots and lots of practice."


	21. Chapter 21: Epilogue

_Warning for lemony goodness. This is the FFn-compliant version of the chapter. For all the extra lemony goodies, check my profile for a link. Disclaimer still applies._

~oooOOOooo~

**Chapter 21: Epilogue  
Stephanie's POV  
Five Days Later  
Oahu, Hawaii**

"Babe, this is our last day here in Hawaii. What do you want to do?"

Ranger's soft voice roused me from the nap I had been so blissfully taking after our latest bout of lovemaking. "Mmm, the beach. Shopping. You. Not in that order," I mumbled drowsily.

I opened my eyes just wide enough to see Ranger grin.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Let's go get some lunch, then we'll go shopping and have the stuff sent back here to the hotel while we go straight to the beach. I have a surprise for you."

"You go 'head and shower," I mumbled. "Wake me when you're done."

I was serious about getting more sleep. Unfortunately—or is that fortunately?—Ranger had other plans.

He swooped me up into his arms, and an hour and two showers later, we headed out into the sunshine. We ate at a little seafood place near the shops I wanted to go to before finding little gifts for Tank and Lula as well as both our moms in one of the little shops that sold souvenirs and knickknacks from Oahu.

Once Ranger had called the hotel and arranged for someone to come pick up our bags, he led me to the closest clothing store. It was right off the beach and had the cutest bikinis in the window.

"Carlos, I brought my swimsuit," I protested when he pulled a red, barely-there bikini from the rack and started leading me to the dressing room.

"I know, Babe. Indulge me, okay?"

I nodded and took the suit from him, heading into the curtained dressing room.

I slipped the suit on, tying the little bows on my hips that held the tiny bottoms in place and the one between my breasts holding the two triangles together. They barely covered my nipples. "Carlos! I am _not_ wearing this out in public! It's indecent!"

He chuckled. "Babe, if it fits, don't worry about it. I promise you'll be able to wear it."

I looked back at my reflection in the mirror. It fit, I supposed. I was just not sure I was brave enough to wear it anywhere. "I guess it fits, but I'm not taking my shirt and shorts off!"

"Babe," he said, laughing softly. "Give me the tag and then wear the suit under your clothes. I'll meet you at the register."

Sighing, I untied the sales tag from the hanger and handed it out to Ranger through the curtain.

As soon as I was dressed, Ranger finished paying and led me outside to the street, where a beautiful new blue Corvette convertible sat at the curb.

"Babe, this is part one of your surprise. We'll drive this out today and then it will be shipped back to Trenton and will be waiting for you when we get home."

I squealed and threw my arms around him.

He handed me the keys and walked me around to the driver's side, where he opened the door and waited until I'd slid down into the amazing leather seats before closing it behind me. Then he quickly went around to the other side and was just closing the door when I turned the key, the engine roaring to life. I glanced quickly at the oncoming traffic and peeled out into a break in the flow of cars, heading the way Ranger indicated.

"Drive this way for three miles and then be prepared to turn left, Babe."

I nodded, showing him I'd heard, as I reached down to push the button to release the top. The air rushed in, blowing my curls around. I was glad I had pulled it into a ponytail.

We drove slowly with the other traffic, not in a rush, until Ranger pointed left at the road up ahead. I flicked the blinker, slowed, and then turned onto a road that led farther into the beach. I drove around the winding street until I came to a guard shack. I pulled up and rolled down the window.

"Hi, folks. Can I help you?" A surfer-looking guy with bright blond hair wearing swim trunks and an orange tank top leaned out of the shack, holding a clipboard.

Ranger leaned across me, holding out his driver's license. "Carlos Manoso, reservation for spot six for today."

The man looked at Ranger and his license and then checked the clipboard. "Gotcha. About a mile and a half ahead on the left. Just park in one of the marked spots and follow the signs. Please respect other people's privacy, and stick to the trail for spot six. Have a great day, and be careful!"

Once he was back in the small building and Ranger was back in his seat, I drove off, giving Ranger a questioning glance.

"The city turned a long stretch of beach into six private beach spots. They built up rocks around each spot to ensure privacy on the beach, although you are out in the open once you hit the water, and they let you rent a spot per half day or full day. We have the spot on the end for the day."

My eyes widened as I realized that was why he had wanted me in the suit so much. _Ohhh yeah, I am going to enjoy this_, I thought, grinning.

We turned into the small parking lot, joining the other two cars already there. Ranger came around, helped me out, and then pushed the button for the trunk. Holding my hand, he led me to the back of the car and pulled out a big blanket and a large cooler. After closing the lid, we walked around the car and headed for the beach.

Right at the edge of the parking lot, a sign pointed to the right down a small trail leading to spot six. We walked about half a mile down the trail, passing small entrances between the big rock groupings until we reached a plaque announcing our spot. Ranger ushered me in ahead of him.

The sand was a gorgeous, sparkling, almost golden yellow color, and the area was perfectly clean and secluded. I helped spread the blanket as Ranger grabbed four flat rocks to hold down the corners. I stripped off my shirt and shorts, tossing my shoes to the side of the blanket, which left me in nothing but the teeny tiny bikini. I heard a low wolf whistle behind me.

"Babe," Ranger said as he slid his arms around my waist, pulling me tightly back against him. I felt his bare chest pressed against my back and his already hard length against my ass through our swimsuits.

I turned around slowly, looking up into his eyes as he lowered his lips to mine. The kiss began softly, just our lips brushing against one another's. It quickly heated up as my hands moved down to cup his hard ass through his swim trunks. Ranger pulled me tighter, grinding against me, his cock straining against the fabric. I moaned, cupping him harder, my nails biting into his ass through the suit.

Ranger pulled away suddenly. Tugging the band out of my hair and letting it flow around my shoulders, he said, "C'mon, Babe. Let's go swimming." He tossed the band down with my clothes and grabbed my hand, pulling me down the beach toward the water.

We played and swam in the water for nearly an hour until the cool water finally drove us out onto the warm sand. I was swept off my feet as Ranger picked me up, bridal-style, and carried me up to our private spot among the rocks.

He stood me up in front of him, crushing me against his chest. Kissing my lips once, he then moved down my neck. I moaned when I felt him nibbling and sucking at the pulse point on my throat as his hands untied the top of my bikini, peeling it away from my body and tossing it to the side. He suddenly palmed my breasts in his large, warm hands and ran his thumbs gently over my nipples, making me moan again.

It wasn't long before Ranger was naked and hovering over me. We made love on the blanket, the warm Hawaiian breeze blowing over us as we came together.

He dropped to his elbows, peppering my face with soft, gentle kisses as his thrusts slowed. He lay next to me, pulling me against his side. "_Dios, Babe! Te quiero, Stephanie._"

When we finally could breathe, he placed a gentle kiss on my lips before sitting up. "Want some water, Babe? Need to keep hydrated." His eyes were alight and dancing as he said, "I'm not nearly done with you."

I looked at him with all the love in my heart and knew that the rest of our honeymoon would be as perfect as Hawaii had been. Without a doubt, our life together would be even greater.

**The End**

**(Check out the sequel, On the Hunt for a Family!)**


	22. Author's Note: Sequel Reposted!

This is just an update to let any of you know who have this on Story Alert and don't have me on Author Alert... The next story in this series, **On the Hunt for a Family**, is now reposted after the site pulled it down when it was reported for the smut. Follow me on Author Alert or click on Story Alert on the new posting of it to get updates! :)

Thanks to all my readers. I love you guys!


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